What Once Was Old Is New Again
by Laurel-Wolford
Summary: The three sophomores (Liam, Mason, and Brett) arrive beaten and disheveled at Stiles' house in the middle of the night during the Super Moon. Who attacked them and why? Where are Malia, Scott, and Theo? Will the McCall Pack be able to weather this latest (metaphorical) storm in tact? (I am horrible at summaries that don't give too much away.) Will eventually be a crossover.
1. Chapters 1-18

**What Once Was Old Is New Again**

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the laptop on which the story is typed. I read through several stories that triggered ideas for this one, but I was reading as a guest and couldn't save them. If anything sounds the least bit like a story that you have posted please let me know so that I can give proper credit to those who deserve it.

Please read and review: it's my muse!

SPOILER ALERT! Season five is getting small rewrite. Why? Because that's what fanfiction is all about. I'm keeping what canon I like, discarding what I don't, and making up what I want. I just watched the mid-season finale and really liked where some of the canon is going, but there are a few things that I will need to change in order to get this story where it needs to go. Since no last name is given for the twins I'm going to use the actors' last name: Carver.

Summary: The three sophomores (Liam, Mason, and Brett) arrive beaten and disheveled at Stiles' house in the middle of the night during the Super Moon. Who attacked them and why? Where are Malia, Scott, and Theo? Will the McCall Pack be able to weather this latest (metaphorical) storm in tact? And if they can't, what will happen to them?

Part 1

"Keep running!" Brett yelled over his shoulder, both to Mason who was struggling to keep up and to Liam whom Brett was basically pulling along. The newer werewolf may have been much smaller than Brett but he was seriously strong, and he was trying to run back toward those who were pursuing them.

"I think . . . it's just . . . up . . . ahead!" Mason struggled to reply to the tall wolf.

Brett cleared the line of trees and found himself in a suburban neighborhood. He paused just long enough for Mason to catch up and point them in the right direction, and to readjust his hold on his former rival.

"Liam!" Brett growled, eyes glowing and teeth bared as he struggled against him. "You can't go back there! They'll kill you!"

"I have to!" was the reply from the crazed beta. Just then Mason broke through the trees and stopped by Brett long enough to point to a non-descript house three houses from where they currently stood.

"There" the word only audible thanks to Brett's enhanced hearing. The three took off again toward the house and the hope of safety that it represented.

It took less than a minute for the trio to reach the house and for Mason to start pounding on the door. Brett had both arms wrapped around Liam as he continued to struggle to go back the way they had just come. "Liam, be still." Brett continued to try to get through to his friend. Mason continued to pound on the front door until it was thrown open by an aggravated resident.

"WHAT?!" Stiles yelled out the door to whoever was pounding on it. However the instant that he saw the trio he was in panic mode. "Oh my god!" He exclaimed. "Get in here." He all but pulled the three younger men in off of the front stoop. He couldn't help but notice that Mason and Brett both looked back toward the trees at the end of the street. Put that with the way that Liam was struggling against them to get back that direction he knew that whatever had happened must have happened there. His instinct to protect his pack took root first and opened the jar of mountain ash that he and his dad had started leaving on a shelf by the door and used it to seal out whatever was after them.

With that done he turned to the boys. "What happened? Who did this?" Noticing that Brett and Mason were still trying to keep Liam in check and couldn't answer he stepped up to the young wolf. "Liam! Buddy! Calm down." Stiles tentatively reached out to touch the side of the boy's face. "You're safe now. Shhh!" He spoke as calmly as he could. It seemed to be working. "There you go. You're safe. That's it. Look at me." Stiles continued to speak to Liam with the tone of voice that was normally used for rabid dogs. Although looking at the boy Stiles concluded that the comparison may be fairly accurate. "Shh! Shh! You're safe now, Liam."

Liam struggled less and less against Brett and Mason until he finally stopped. He blinked, his features returning to human. The boy looked up with tears in his eyes. Tears of confusion, pain, betrayal, loss, grief. It was all Stiles could do to not burst in to tears just looking at him.

"Stiles?" Liam's voice was so weak and timid. Stiles did the only thing that any decent person would do. He grabbed the boy around the shoulders and wrapped him in the tightest hug he could. He immediately felt the young man's arms wrap around his waist. It felt as if he was holding on for his very life. Which, based on how the three boys looked, that may not be too far from the truth.

Not letting go of Liam, Stiles looked back and forth between the other two boys. "What happened? Who did this?" Whoever had done this to his boys was going to pay; seriously pay. He may like to give them all shit, but as the surrogate big brother that was his job. Right? But woe be unto anyone else who tried to hurt them.

Mason and Brett shared a long look that seemed to carry the weight of an entire conversation. Together, they both looked at him and said the last thing he ever thought that he would hear.

"Scott."

Part 2

"Scott did this?" Stiles asked. Again. "Scott? True Alpha Scott?" They continued to nod their heads in answer to his repeated questions. It wasn't that he didn't believe them, he did. He just couldn't quite get his head to accept that his best friend had done this. He wouldn't do this to someone he hated, let alone his own people. Not unless . . . Oh, now that's a terrifying idea.

Brett's werewolf senses immediately noticed the changes in the older teen. Increased heart rate (which was already fast to being with), increased anxiety (which was already pretty high), and was that fear he could smell? Without thought he guided to Stiles to sit on the couch two steps away before he passed out on the floor. Liam was still clinging to Stiles so he ended up sitting so close to him on the couch that Liam was all but in Stiles' lap. Neither seemed to notice.

"What is it?" Brett was nervous to ask, but he was even more afraid to not know. Brett and Mason sat in the two chairs opposite the couch. It was a much needed reprieve.

Stiles still had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was trying to put together a puzzle in his mind. "Was it just Scott or were Malia and Theo with him?" He refocused on the two boys across from him and their silence and deer-in-the-headlights look they both had confirmed it. "Theo."

Mason looked confused when Stiles didn't elaborate. "What about Theo?"

"He's won." Stiles looked utterly defeated. "Wait!" His head snapped up so fast that Liam actually growled thinking something was attacking. "Sorry," Stiles started rubbing soothing circles on the boy's back. "Where are Lydia and Hayden?"

At the mention of Hayden's name Liam burst into a fresh round of tears and clung tighter to Stiles. He had no idea what was going on. He looked to Brett and Mason for answers.

"Hayden died a few hours ago," Mason softly informed him. "Liam, Mrs. McCall, and I were there with her." He hung his head as the tears silently made their way down his face.

Stiles sat further back in the couch and patted the seat next to him. Without hesitation Mason jumped up and curled into Stiles right side.

Brett was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "Mason brought him to my house as soon as Parrish came for her bo . . . her b . . . When he came for her." He wasn't crying yet, but as he brought his hands up to rub over his face he knew they weren't far off. Stiles tapped his foot on the carpet to get Brett's attention.

"I'm out of arms," Stiles said softly. "But come here." He tapped his foot on the floor in between where his feet would be. No hesitation. Brett all but dove for the spot of the floor and clung to the older teen's right leg while he left one pressed up against his back in a makeshift hug.

There were only two things that Stiles wanted more than to know the rest of the story: That the boys knew that they were safe, and that Lydia was safe. He removed his arm from around Mason long enough to grab his phone out of his back pocket before rewrapping it. As he hit the send button in the text message to Lydia there was a knock at his door.

Both Brett and Liam were on their feet and wolfed out almost before the sound of the knock had even registered with Stiles' brain.

"Stiles, it's me!" Lydia's strained voice came through the wooden door. The two wolves stopped growling, but they did not shift back. They stayed vigilant and ready, just in case it was a trap. Stiles unlocked and opened the door to see Lydia standing there; a bruise clearly evident on her left cheekbone.

"You alone?" Stiles asked in a very direct, almost harsh manner. Lydia looked so taken aback by the question that that was enough of an answer for him. He stepped back to allow her to enter the house. Still not having said a word, he shut and relocked the door. She turned around to give him an earful, but was met instead with a face full of his chest as he wrapped her in a tight hug. It took just a fraction of a second for her to return it. She wasn't quite sure when they'd become such close friends, but was so glad that they were. A low growl behind her had her spinning around quickly.

"It's okay guys," Stiles took a step away from the banshee and toward the growling wolves. He slowly made his way back to the couch. Almost before he has actually sat down, the three young teens were back in their curled up positions around him. Lydia's eyebrows just about touched her hairline, but wisely, no words came out of her mouth. "A little help here." He whined, inclining his head to the other side of Mason.

Knowing that she was going to have to wait to hear the backstory, she sat next to Mason and carefully pulled him in to her side. He eagerly went; he was the only one of the three sophomores that had anywhere near full control of his mental faculties at the moment, so that meant that he was the only one of them that could be moved without triggering a possible wolf-out. Stiles used his now free hand and began to . . . well . . . to pet the wolf at feet. That resulted in Brett trying to snuggle closer to Stiles; not that it was possible, but the kid gave it a great try.

The five teenagers stayed silent and motionless, save for the occasional sniffle or the rubbing of a back, for what seemed like hours. It was probably less than thirty minutes, but time seemed to be moving differently with everyone lost in their own thoughts.

"Parrish is a Hellhound." Lydia softly blurted. Stiles' shook a little as he tried to clear away his thoughts to focus on what the red head has just told him.

"Interesting." He replied. After a beat he added, "What the hell is a Hellhound?"

"Long story short," she informed him. "He's the Bearer of Death and Guardian of the Supernatural."

"Oh," was all he could say as he processed it. "That actually kind of makes a sense in a 'well-this-is-Beacon-Hills-after-all' kind of way." She nodded her head in agreement with his assessment. "I need to make a phone call, but both of my hands are a little full," Stiles said to her. She gave him a half smirk in reply. "Could you dial Derek for me?" He finished. Her eyes widened a little, but wisely chose not to ask him why.

She grabbed his phone off of the arm of the couch where he had set it when he had gotten up to answer the door upon her arrival. She scrolled through the contacts until she found, "Sourwolf." Rolling her eyes and trying not to giggle (it just somehow didn't seem appropriate) she pressed the call button and then put the phone between Stiles ear and shoulder.

She could hear it ring twice before a gruff voice answered.

"This better be important," he grumbled. Stiles, having long ago gotten used to the grouchiness of the older wolf wasn't even phased by the way he answered the phone.

"I need you here. Now," was all Stiles said. No yelling, no demanding, just calmly stated.

"I'm on my way. I'll be there in less than twenty-four hours," came the unhesitant answer. Stiles' shoulders slumped slightly.

"I'm not sure we have that long." His voice suddenly sounded old and tired. Apparently Derek heard it too.

"I'll have help to you as fast as I can. I'll call you when I'm closer." Derek ended the call. Stiles lifted his head up just enough for Lydia to grab the phone before it fell. She gently set it back on the arm of the couch.

Neither of the older teens spoke. They both let out a long, heavy sigh, and leaned in to the back of the couch. Both with sleeping teens snuggled in to them, it didn't take long for them to doze off as well.

Part 3

Two snarling, teeth-gnashing werewolves jumping to their feet, followed almost immediately by a cautious knock on the front door woke Stiles, Lydia, and Mason and had them on their feet too. The two older teens glanced back and forth from the door to each other, trying to decide what to do.

"Who is it?" Lydia asked in a scared voice.

"It's Ethan," came the unexpected reply. Stiles and Lydia both looked like fish with their mouths open and their eyes open wide.

"Ethan?" Stiles repeated loudly, too shocked to move.

"Derek sent me," Ethan relayed through the still closed door.

"Derek?" Lydia replied louder than Stiles had.

"Are you two going to keep parroting everything back to me? Through the door?" That made Stiles almost jump as he hadn't dawned on him that he hadn't moved yet.

"Coming. Sorry," Stiles said.

"S'ok," came the reply. "But, when you open the door don't remove the ash yet," he informed them.

"Why not?" Stiles asked as he opened the door to reveal the former alpha werewolf.

"Because of them," he nodded his head toward Brett and Liam, who were shifting their weight back and forth on their feet as if trying to decide if they should attack the new arrival. "I could smell them before I even got out of the car. It smells like you have two feral, rapid puppies backed in to a corner. And it looks like that's a fairly apt description."

"It's been one hell of a night," Lydia sighed to him by way of explanation.

"Looks that way," he agreed. "Okay, so here's how this is going to work," the young man explained. "Once I'm inside the ash, neither of you will touch me. I'm going to sit over here against the wall in plain sight of both of your betas and be very, very still. You're going to reseal the ash and go back to sitting exactly like you were before I arrived. No sudden moves. Got it?" Both older teens nodded their heads slowly.

Stiles used his left foot to sweep away a small amount of the ash allowing their former school mate to enter the house. Good to his word, Ethan took one step inside and two steps to the right before the slid slowly down the wall to sit on the floor. He had kept his head up, but his eyes downcast trying to indicate to the young wolves that he was not there to threaten them or theirs.

With the door shut, locked, and resealed, Stiles slowly walked back to the couch where Lydia was already seated with Mason. As Stiles sat down the two wolves sat at the same time, but they made sure that they facing the new comer. Neither shifted back to human, but remained vigilant. Once everyone was back down Ethan raised his eyes to the wolves, make sure to keep his gaze soft and non-threatening.

"Lydia, Stiles," Ethan spoke in a soft reassuring voice. Though clearly speaking to the two older teens he never broke eye contact with Brett and Liam. "I need you both to take a few deep breaths and try to project as much calm as you can. It might even help a little if you snuggle back in the couch a bit, as if me being here is of absolutely no concern to you."

They did as he asked. Lydia leaned back, pulling Mason with her. She began to rub soothing circles on his back. As she did, he curled in to her side and seemed to stop shaking. Once those two were calmer Stiles too leaned back, though he did not try to pull Liam or Brett with him. He did, however, try to rub Liam's back and the part of the back of Brett's head that he could reach. This seemed to help the two young boys. They stopped growling, though they refused to shift back to human, and they curled a little closer in to Stiles.

No one said anything for a few moments. Ethan tore his gaze away from the wolves to visually take in his surroundings. Although, every few seconds he would glance back to the wolves, consciously keeping his gaze soft. This seemed to have the desired effect as within a few moments the boys shifted back to human form. However, each time Ethan would return his gaze to the boys they would flash their eyes gold at him.

After another few minutes of this, the eye flash settled down to once every three or four times he'd look at them. "Would someone care to fill me in?" Ethan asked, looking at Stiles and Lydia for the first time since he came in to the room.

"Well, uh . . ." Stiles began. "I'm not sure where to start." His arm twitched in reflex of him wanted to rub the back of his head and neck, but then thought better of removing his hand from Brett. Probably wise on his part. "Really long story relatively short, there's a new big bad in town, and a former classmate from elementary school showed up at the same time. Coincidence?" He tilted his head in question. "I think not."

Ethan nodded his head as he listened, always looking back to the two boys wrapped up around Stiles every so often. "You think he's involved?" The former alpha asked.

"Before tonight I was about 80% certain. Now? I know he's involved; it also wouldn't surprise me if he was the one pulling all the strings." Stiles shrugged his shoulders at this. "He showed up to try to save Scott from the first attack, out of the blue. He's being manipulating everyone since he got here. He had a literal hand in what happened tonight to my pups. And his very first lie started with a tale that included you."

Ethan looked up surprised. "Me?" He raised his eyebrows, stunned. "How was I involved?"

"When Sc . . ." thinking it was probably better not to say his name right now he quickly restarted his explanation. "When we asked him how he and when he was bitten he told us that it was a few years ago. That he never knew who it was because before his first full moon his alpha was killed by two of his own betas – twins." Stiles gave him a knowing look. "He also said that the twins then went on to kill almost his entire pack so there was no one left to teach him about being a werewolf."

Ethan processed that for a moment before responding. "You're right. That was a lie." Stiles nodded and had an 'I-told-you-so-grin' on his face. "A-Aiden and I hated our maker. We stalked him night and day for almost two months before we killed him. We would have known if he had bitten some teenager during that last month. And he didn't. He was too busy beating the fear of . . . well . . . of him into our pack. Let's just say that almost everything we learned about being an alpha we learned from him; something I am not proud to say." Talking about his brother was still tender. It probably always would be.

Lydia looked over at Stiles deep in thought. "You really did say from that first night that something was off. Didn't you?"

"You bet your cute ass I did," he replied in a sing-song voice. "Why does no one ever listen to me?" He asked rhetorically.

Ethan shrugged his shoulders. "I would have." He stated simply.

Stiles' eyes (and Lydia's too) opened wide. "You would? Why?" He asked, flabbergasted.

"Because you're almost always right," he said matter-of-factly.

Lydia cocked her head in thought then nodded. "True. Well, not about everyday stuff," she corrected. "But about the big, supernatural stuff you are." Stiles stared at her before turning to stare at Ethan.

"Really?" He asked shocked. "You both agree that I was right?"

Lydia pointed at the darkening bruise on her cheekbone. "Anyone who would intentionally damage this face is clearly a bad guy," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"He did that to you?" Stiles and Ethan both questioned, earning them soft growls in reply.

"Sorry. Shh. Shh." Stiles tried to calm to two wolves down.

"I had gone to the school library too look something up about Parrish, when I had a banshee moment. He was standing behind me and asked me about it. When I said that someone was going to die tonight, in the library, he grinned like he knew some sort of sick secret. He said that he couldn't have me telling anyone. So he backhanded me to knock me out. When I came to I was locked in a closet. When I finally managed to escape my phone was gone so I came straight here." She explained to them.

Stiles was trying so hard to stay calm because he knew that the more upset he got then the more upset the two wolves would get. And right now keeping them calm was more important than his anger. But just barely more important. And as soon as he was allowed to feel strong emotions again he was going to be super pissed at this. He was struggling and he could hear the low warning growls from Liam and Brett, who were confused due to the lack of any apparent threat.

"You need to calm down Stiles," Ethan reminded him. Stiles was trying to use deep breathing so he could only nod in response.

"What three things cannot long be hidden?" Stiles mumbled under his breath. "The sun, the moon, and the truth." He repeated the answer a little slower. "The sun, the moon, the truth." Each time he repeated it a little slower. It seemed to be helping both him and the two wolves. Finally back in charge of his emotion he looked up at Ethan who wore a look of blatant curiosity.

"Where did you learn that?" Ethan asked.

"Brett, here." He replied patting the tall boy's shoulder. "He learned it from his alpha Satomi."

For a brief moment Lydia and Stiles were worried that Ethan's eyes might actually pop out of his head.

"Satomi? Satomi Ito?" He asked in clarification. Receiving nod in response he just hung his head in his hands. "This is turning in to a nightmare. Someone from this pack attacked betas not only from his own pack, but from an allied pack – Satomi Ito's pack no less – tonight. That's what triggered your call to Derek wasn't it?" The former alpha looked up at Stiles expectantly.

"First off, HE isn't actually part of the pack," Stiles defended. "And second, it was the two that ARE in are pack that make this an ever bigger issue."

"Two?" Now it was Ethan's turn to start losing the reign on his emotions. "Two members of your own pack, plus this other idiot, attacked these three pups tonight?" He wanted to make certain that he was understanding what he was hearing. Lydia's eyes were lost in thought, her face pale (making the bruise stand out that much more), she continued to hold on to Mason and rub circles on his back as she nodded. "Do I even want to ask which two?" Ethan was trying to remember all of the members of Scott's pack, but it had been too long since he'd been back.

Stiles was afraid that if he said the actual names that it might trigger the young wolves again. Thankfully Ethan seemed to understand that. "Derek's cousin slash my girlfriend and . . . and . . ." He couldn't bring himself to say it. He could barely admit it to himself let alone to someone else that it had been Malia and Scott with Theo tonight.

The way that he was having trouble saying the name along with the most noticeably absent person, Ethan quickly put two and two together. He really wished he sucked at math. He held up his hand to stop Stiles from having to continue. "Hold on. Are you really telling me that this kid from elementary somehow manipulated everything so that he, along with" Ethan mouthed the word 'Malia' as he pointed to Stiles, "and his" Ethan motioned to Liam "maker, attacked not only his own beta and human pack members but also a beta from an allied pack's – Satomi's pack?"

Lydia was still staring off in to space. "That about sums it up," she confirmed. Stiles just nodded. He was getting a serious migraine headache from all of this.

"Oh. My. God." Ethan spoke slowly, almost as if he was in a dream. "This is a fucking nightmare." Stiles couldn't fault the former alpha's logic, although he did think that he must be missing some vital piece of information if this was Ethan's response. Ethan continued lost in his own thoughts. "It's going to be a blood bath. The streets will literally run red with blood." That caught the attention of Lydia and Stiles.

"Want to run that by me again?" Stiles asked incredulously.

Ethan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled as he figured out how to explain it to the two of them.

"Let me ask you this. If it had been the other way around; if Satomi, one of her betas and their friend had attacked these three what would be your initial response?"

"The streets would run red with blood," Stiles admitted. Lydia's narrowed eyes and sharp nod indicated her approval of his answer.

"Now do you see what I mean?" Ethan asked.

"Well . . ." Lydia drew out the word as she finally spoke. "Fuck."

Part 4

Stiles, Lydia, and Ethan lapsed in to silence as their minds tried to process everything. Mason, Liam, and Brett had finally dozed off using Lydia and Stiles as their pillows. Ethan had his phone out and was typing quickly. He thought he'd use the moment to get Derek as up to speed with what information he had so far. This was definitely a situation that you were better off knowing what you were walking in to.

Lydia picked up Stiles' phone and sent a text to Jordan letting him know that her phone was stolen and that she needed him to come to Stiles' has as soon as he could. And to text back Stiles' phone when he got there so he wouldn't have to knock. At the questioning look on Stiles' face she turned the phone so that he could read what she had written and to whom. Understanding lit up his features as he nodded his head.

Ethan slowly stretched himself out along the wall against which he had just been sitting. Even that little movement caused Liam and Brett to open their eyes. Liam growled low in his chest and Brett's eyes flashed gold. Once Ethan was still and he was clearly no more of a threat than he was before they closed their eyes and dozed off again. Ethan had his phone face down on his chest and his hands folded across his stomach. He would occasionally pick up his phone, type something, and then set it back down. After watching this happen a few time Stiles figured out that the phone must be on silent mode. But how did Ethan know when a text came back in? The question must have been on his face because Ethan explained quietly.

"When I get a text the phone lights up. The light warms up my chest." That was a neat trick Stiles thought. That's why it took a few seconds for him to realize that the vibrating phone he heard was his and not Ethan's.

Lydia looked at the screen and mouthed, "Parrish." As she disentangled herself from Mason and stood Ethan opened his eyes.

"Be slow, talk soft, and don't touch," Ethan directed softly. She nodded her understanding.

As she opened the door she put her finger against her lips indicating to him that he should be quiet. He nodded his agreement. Like Lydia, the mountain ash had little effect in keeping him out of the house. After shutting and locking the door she turned to head back to the couch and was met with two pair of yellow eyes above bared teeth. Although the eyes were directed at the new arrival it was still intimidating.

"Lydia," Ethan spoke calmly. "Go back to the couch and get in as close to the same position that you were in as you can." She started back that direction. As she walked in front of Jordan Parrish she quickly whispered to him.

"Don't move and do exactly what Ethan tells you to do." Jordan looked down at the floor, seeing Ethan for the first time. Jordan nodded that he understood. Lydia was finally back under a re-settled Mason before Ethan spoke again.

"Keep your head up but do not look them in the eyes yet," was his first instruction to the deputy. "Now, very slowly walk to the chair across from Lydia and sit down." Jordan followed the older wolf's instructions.

Jordan had never seen the boys act like this before. He knew that Liam sometimes had a tough time controlling the shift of the full moon, but this seemed like it was about something other than just the moon that still shone brightly in the sky outside. Once he was seated Ethan gave more instructions.

"Sit back in the chair and place your hands on either your knees or the chair arms so that they are clearly visible to the boys." Once that was done, "Now, keeping your gaze as soft and as non-threatening as possible look at them. Meet their eyes but always be the first to look away. Glance around the room for about two seconds then look back to them again. Keep doing it." Jordan had no idea what was going on but he was willing to go with the flow for now since Lydia and Stiles had deferred to the man lying on the floor.

"Now spend more time looking around the room before you look back. But don't look to Lydia or Stiles yet. Especially not to me," Ethan directed. The two young wolves had stopped growling and were now just appraising. "I'm sure you have a ton of questions but they're going to have to wait until we make sure the boys aren't going to try to rip you in to little, tiny pieces first." Jordan didn't speak although he wanted to, but he did offer a subtle nod indicating that he reasoning behind it. Within about a minute the two teens shifted back to their human forms, but as they had done with Ethan they would flash their gold eyes when he looked back. And as before it slowly becoming ever few times he looked and so on.

Within a couple of minutes they were settled back in to Stiles who had been trying to be very still during this so as not to startle the wolves. Now he started to rub Liam's back and Brett's neck again, allowing them to feel his calm and acceptance of the new comer.

"Good," Ethan said to Jordan. "Now you may look directly at Lydia and Stiles, but every so often glance back to the boys with the same non-threatening look. And whatever you do, do not turn around to look at me. You and I can introduce ourselves after the sun comes up."

A tiny nod that appeared to be more of a twitch was the only response that Jordan gave to Ethan before he looked to Lydia.

"Do I want to know any of what's happened tonight?" He asked trying to project calm and peace.

"You definitely will want to know, but the explanation may have to wait for daylight," she informed him dejectedly. He nodded. A strange thought crossed his mind that that was all he seemed to do was nod. He wanted to at least smile at the thought but knew that it would be a bad idea. "The only relevant information that you need right now," she continued. "Is that the boys were attacked a few hours ago by Stiles' girlfriend, our mighty leader, and the new kid. And f.y.i. – using their names right now is a really bad idea." She nodded to indicate how serious she was, as did Stiles and the look on his face.

Scott, Malia, and Theo attacked Liam, Brett, and Mason? No wonder everyone was on edge and freaked out. How long ago did it happen? It was close to 2 in the morning now, so it would've been within the last four hours. Did the sheriff know yet?

"Have you told your dad yet?" Jordan directed the question to Stiles.

The young man shook his head. "Not yet. We've been trying to keep all talking to a minimum in order to try to keep the pups calm," he answered the deputy. "Not that it's working all that well," he added almost as an afterthought.

"I would say that all things considered that you're all doing a fantastic job," Jordan reassured the teen. "I know that Liam's control during a regular full moon isn't always the best and this is a lot more stressful than a regular full moon night. The fact that they didn't pounce first and ask questions later is impressive." Jordan just watched Lydia and Stiles as they continuously snuggled with the three young boys.

The more he sat there the younger the three sophomores looked. Logically he knew they were sixteen but with their eyes closed and being curled up they just seem so . . . young, was the only word he could come up with. It wasn't fair that they had to be the ones to deal with this crap. No one deserves to have their own friends turn against them, but these three were such good kids. And then there's Stiles and Lydia who themselves are caught up in the middle of defending friend from friend. Life is seriously messed up sometimes.

"I had the same reaction when they told me too," Ethan spoke softly but Jordan knew that it was directed toward him.

"How do you know what reaction I'm having?" Jordan turned his head to the side to answer the man on the floor behind him.

"Keep facing forward. I'm a werewolf. I can smell the emotions rolling off of you. Confusion. Disbelief. Disappointment. And something between disgust and anger. How'd I do?"

"Pretty much dead on," confirmed Jordan. "You're not someone I've met before. How did you know to be here?" he asked.

"Stiles called Derek Hale for help. It was going to take him almost a full day to get here so he called me to come play guard dog until he made it," Ethan explained. "Although from just the little that I've been able to pick up over the last few hours I kind of foresee my stay being extended." He didn't sound upset or angry at the idea. More like annoyed, as if he should have expected it.

"I suggest we get some shut eye before the sheriff gets home and we have go through this whole process again," Ethan offered.

Jordan nodded and tried to relax in the chair without having to move too much. He knew that the werewolf behind him was right, that they'd have to go through integrating the sheriff into the room and that going slow and being still were not exactly something that ran in the Stilinski genes.

Part 5

Jordan woke to a tap on his left shoulder. Ethan was crouched down next to him with his finger pressed to his lips in a signal to stay quiet. He then tapped his ear, then his nose and then indicated outside, relaying to Jordan that he'd heard and smelt something outside. Jordan nodded once in understanding. Ethan pointed to himself and then the front door. He then pointed to Jordan followed with a sweeping gesture to the couch. Ethan's got the door covered and it was Jordan's job to keep everyone on the couch safe and as calm as possible. With one more quick nod from Jordan they both started to move.

By the time Ethan, having shifted during his journey over, stood a step behind the door the two young werewolves must have sensed something was amiss. They were both on their feet facing the door, completely wolfed out. Jordan was indicating to Lydia, Mason, and Stiles to get on the floor behind him as he raised he gun he had pulled from his back holster. Ethan could smell the wolf's bane in the bullets from half way across the room. Good information to have. Because although he hated getting shot, it wouldn't usually kill him. Those particular bullets, however, just might if he were to step wrong and end up in the line of fire.

The front door opened with a crack as someone pressed against the door hard enough to break the lock, but had kept ahold of the door so that it didn't go flying open. The intruder stepped inside causing Ethan to question all of his senses. His sense of smell and the person's strength were indicating werewolf, but the fact that the intruder crossed the mountain ash with no problems indicated that he was not a werewolf. That was a puzzle he could get an answer to later. As soon as he smelled the not-wolf's sense of victory at seeing his prize in front of him Ethan stepped up behind him and dug his claws into the teen's neck.

Ethan could see that Liam and Brett were torn between wanting to attack and wanting to run away scared. If this was who Ethan thought it was then their mixed emotions would be perfectly understandable. Ethan spun so that he pinned his captive against the back of the door, barely allowing his toes to reach the ground. He wanted this punk kid to see his eyes so that he would know that he was completely capable of carrying through on any threat he might make.

"Theo, I presume." It was more of a statement than a question. The kid managed a squeaked reply that Ethan was taking as a yes. Ethan took a long sniff of Theo from him collar bone to the back of his ear. "Why do you smell like a wolf AND a coyote?" Ethan asked banging Theo against the door again.

"W. . . wi . . . with . . . . Ma. . . Mal . . . Malia," he was finally able to choke out. Ethan slammed him on the door again.

"Wrong answer," he growled quietly. "I didn't ask why you smell OF a coyote, I asked why you smelled LIKE a coyote." Theo didn't even get a chance to answer for himself before Stiles had put all of the pieces together.

"Chimera," Stiles offered.

"The . . . first," Theo choked out. "It . . . it's why . . . Ma . . . Malia . . . trust . . . trusted . . . me . . . first," he added. His smile appearing even more maniacal with all of the blood in his mouth.

"You hurt my pack and for that I want nothing more than to kill you," Stiles stated as he stood up to come to stand between the intruder and the two freaked out wolves that had shown up on his doorstep for protection. "But that would bring out Void Stiles and give you exactly what you wanted. I refuse to let you win. However, my friend with his claws wrapped around your vocal cords has no problem with solving my problem for me. You're dead and I'm not Void Stiles. I win, you lose." Theo looked down at the wolf who was literally holding his life in his hands and between the blue glow of his eyes and the murderous look on his face Theo had no doubt that it was well within the realm of possibility. And for the first time since deciding to come here himself to get Liam he was seriously doubting that it would work, or that he would be able to get out alive.

Ethan slammed him against the wall again. "I hear that you've been telling lies about how you were turned and by whom." Theo's look must have conveyed his confusion because the larger wolf continued on. "You were not turned by someone who was then killed by his own twin betas. Never happened," Ethan asserted.

"D. . . did . . . too," Theo argued.

"First off, your heart beat just gave you away. Second, there would have been zero survivors to tell you it was the twins. And third, the alpha was under surveillance for two months before he was killed and he never bit a two-bit, punk-ass kid like you." Ethan slammed Theo in to the door to make his point.

"How. . ." was all Theo managed to get out.

"How would I know?" the angry wolf supplied. Instead of a direct answer Ethan gave him a warning. "Run back to your _false_ alpha and tell him all of these people are under MY protection and that if he thinks that he can take me then he should grow a pair and come see me himself." Another slam.

"Who . . . are . . . you?" Theo was fairly certain that he was going to black out from blood loss before he even made it out of this house.

"Ask Scott if he still has the konji behind his ear, because I still do. But from what I hear it doesn't really sound like he should." With one last slam Ethan stepped back dragging Theo away from the door so that it could be opened. Ethan then tossed Theo across the yard as if he weighed no more than a rag doll.

Part 6

"I need to wash the blood off my hands, Stiles," Ethan stated in instant he turned around.

"Aw," the teen chuckled. "The sight of blood to much for you these days?" Ethan answered by rolling his eyes.

"Not me, you idiot." He motioned to the two young werewolves who were staring at Ethan's hands as if trying to decide if they wanted to tear the hand off and eat it or tear it off and throw it out the door. "The smell of blood, especially his, is driving them into a frenzy that we can't afford to have right now."

Stiles turned around and saw the looks. "Oh shit!" Stiles grabbed his shoulder and pulled him out of the front room in to the kitchen and over to the sink.

"Thanks. Go back in and make sure that no one moves. If the boys do, let them." Ethan gave the instructions and then set about cleaning all of the blood off of his hands and from beneath his claws. Once he was satisfied that all of the blood was off of him and out of the sink he turned off the light and returned to the front room.

Lydia and Mason were still on the floor, where she had him tucked behind her. Jordan was still standing between the chair where he'd been earlier and the couch, having tucked his gun away out of sight, with his hands at this side where they were clearly visible. Stiles had walked back to his spot in front of the boys, but instead of facing the door he was facing them. Ethan stopped and leaned on the doorframe with his hand clasped in front of him. He looked as if he didn't have a care in the world.

The two boys were still shifted, although with the intruder gone, the smell of blood gone, and everyone back in their line of sight they stopped growling. Ethan had to strain to hear it, but Stiles was softly and slowly repeating the mantra that he'd used earlier. Being right in front of him Ethan knew that it was loud enough for the younger wolves to hear. It may not make a lot of sense to them yet as their wolves were still fully in control, but it was beginning to have the desired effect. As they began to calm each major muscle group began to relax. After a few more minutes, other than their eyes, their features had regained their human form. Another couple of minutes and their eyes returned to their original shades. Stiles cautiously took a small step forward and then opened his arms wide for the younger teens. And they crashed into him and held him so tightly that Jordan was just about convinced that he was going to pass out from lack of oxygen.

Once they were firmly ensconced in Stiles' arms Lydia pulled Mason around from behind her and sat down next to him. Jordan had to remind himself that he had to move slowly and couldn't just collapse in to the chair, even though he was afraid his legs might give out if he wasn't seated soon. Finally, he thought to himself once he was fully seated.

After the two young men settled down a little Brett raised his head from where it had rested on Stiles' shoulder and he looked over to Ethan, who was looking at the hugging trio with an impassive look on his face. He and Brett locked eyes and Brett just bowed his head once in acknowledgement and thanks.

"Brett," he stated not letting go of Stiles or Liam.

The older wolf returned the nod and gave his name. "Ethan." Brett held his gaze for a brief moment longer before returning his complete attention to hugging the two teens in his arms.

"We need to get everyone upstairs," Ethan said quietly. Lydia is the first to move as she rose to her feet helping Mason stand in the process. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders and guided him to the stairs. Sensing their friend move, Liam and Brett turned to watch only to have Stiles guide them to follow the preceding pair. Ethan motioned for Jordan wait. Once Stiles and the boys were out of sight Ethan relaxed his pose and let out a long breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He walked over to Jordan and held out his hand.

"Ethan Carver," the werewolf offered.

"Jordan Parrish," the deputy replied shaking hands.

"There's obviously more this story," Ethan motioned to front room, indicating whatever it is that happened that resulted in him being called. "But we're both going to have to wait until sun up to get any answers." Jordan nodded. Ethan indicated that they should head upstairs; he turned off all of the downstairs lights as they went. "The wolves are understandably twitchier tonight than normal so you and I, as the outsiders, need to be super aware of everything we do, everything we say, and especially all of our body language."

Jordan nodded and decided to try to mimic all of Ethan's behaviors for the rest of the night. As the duo approached Stiles' room he heard all talking cease. He could only imagine that the wolves perked up and either shifted or at least have their wolf eyes showing.

"Stiles," Ethan said very softly and reassuring. "It's only Ethan and Jordan." He could then hear Lydia and Stiles begin to reassure the boys.

"Shh. Shh. Shh. You're safe," Stiles said. "They're friends. You're safe." Ethan was really impressed that all night Stiles had reinforced that they were 'safe' and not 'okay.' Because they were so not okay and they would have heard the lie immediately. And that would have resulted in a whole other mess of trust issues.

Ethan and Jordan came in to view in the hall way and stopped. They did not approach the door to enter but they stood there long enough for the wolves to acknowledge the sight of them. They slowly sank against the wall on the opposite side of the bedroom so that they were facing the entrance to the room. They sat on either side of the door so that anyone would have to get past at least one of them before they could enter.

"It's only three," Ethan said to Jordan. "Try to get a little more shut eye." Both men, trained fighters that they were, leaned their heads back and almost immediately dozed off. They may have seemed to be deeply asleep but they both were completely alert for any movement or sound.

Inside the room Stiles was trying to get everyone situated in a place to sleep. He had Lydia lay in the middle of the bed with Mason on the far side of her and Liam closest to where Stiles would be sitting. But Liam wouldn't go near the bed. Neither would Brett. Stiles, Lydia, and Mason were all at a loss.

"The sheets smell like her." The voice came from the hallway but both men were so still that it Stiles a moment to process that it was Ethan that spoke. Her? Who her? Oh crap! The sheets smell like Malia. How could he have forgotten?

He started taking all of the linens off the bed leaving that mattress and pillows bare. "Toss them out the window," Ethan told him. So, out the window went all the linens and blankets. He was sure he dad would be so confused when he pulled up and his son's bed sheets and comforter were on the front lawn.

Now it was fairly easy to get the wolves on and near the bed. Lydia in between Mason and Liam. Liam had the back of his body pressed up against Lydia while his hands were clinging to Stiles' right arm. That was the arm that Stiles had put on the bed to use as his pillow. Stiles' right leg was sticking straight underneath the bed, while his left knee was bent up close to his chest. Brett sat in close to the same position as Stiles: sitting on the floor facing the door with his arm as his pillow. Except Brett was the closest person to the door. The hand that was on the bed was also holding on to one of Liam's ankles. Not tightly, just enough for both wolves to be touching. He was also sitting close enough to Stiles that the young wolf was holding Stiles' left knee against him like a blanket.

Oh, what a sight they all must have made.

Part 7

Jordan's eyes popped open when he heard the sound. He glanced over to see that Ethan was already aware of whatever it was. Though Ethan still appeared to be in a relaxed position, although his head was no longer leaning back against the wall, Jordan could see that his muscles were taunt and ready to fight if the need arose. Jordan watched as Ethan's nostrils flared slightly as the werewolf took in the scent of whatever (or whoever, he supposed) had brought him out of his nap. Seeing Ethan's body relax, head lean back against the wall with his eyes closed, Jordan released the breath he had been holding.

Ethan brought his head back upright, glanced over at Jordan to make sure he had the deputy's attention, then motioned with his head toward the direction of the stairs. As the two stood up slowly, more from the aches and stiffness then the need to not scare the younger wolves, Ethan poked his head into the bedroom where the others were still sleeping.

"Stiles," he said softly, but firmly. "You're dad's home."

Lydia and Mason started moving in response to Ethan's statement, Brett opened his eyes to analyze the men in the door before reclosing them, Liam scooted closer to both Brett and Stiles, and Stiles remained immobile.

Not waiting for the sleeping teens Ethan turned to head downstairs. He motioned for Jordan to go down first. The sheriff did a double take at seeing one of his deputies coming down his stairs who, based on the exhausted and disheveled look of the younger man, had obviously slept up there. The questioning glance from Parrish to Ethan and back didn't go unnoticed.

"Sheriff," Jordan greeted his boss as the two young men crossed the room. "This is Ethan Carver, sir." Ethan held out his hand to the older man.

"Sheriff," he acknowledged. The sheriff shook his hand, releasing a little of tension in his stance, but he still had a rather puzzled look about him.

"Parrish?" Jordan had yet to figure out how the sheriff could always make his last name sound like an entire sentence instead of just one word. The sentence clearing being, "Tell me what the hell is going on before I have to start shooting and/or arresting people." Occasionally it also implied, "And how is my son involved in this mess?"

"Good morning, sir," rang from the top of the stairs as Lydia allowed Jordan a small reprieve from having to answer his boss. The boss who was, understandably, getting more and more confused by the minute.

"Lydia?" His tone indicating that whatever was going on was going to be messier than he had originally thought. "Mason." The name come out sounding something between a sigh and an 'I-should-have-guessed.' The sheriff put one hand on his hip and with the other he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Who else?" He asked the room in exasperation. Lydia answered in her completely blunt Lydia-esque manner.

"Stiles, Liam, and Brett are still upstairs." She casually pointed to the top of the stairs now that she and Mason had made it to come stand by their friends. She and Jordan had touched hands last night while he was still in the jail cell, but with everything that had happened she needed . . . more. She needed to touch him, to make sure he was really there, to let him know she cared, to feel protected by him. Without any, well . . . with very little, hesitation she walked over to Jordan to put her hand in his, interlocking their fingers. Jordan smiled, no . . . beamed, down at her and tightened his grip on her hand enough for her to know that he wasn't planning on letting go any time soon.

"Do I want to know?" The sheriff's strained question drug Lydia and Jordan out of their moment. Before anyone could answer verbally, Ethan was turning toward the stairs putting himself between them and people with whom he was just speaking. A small portion of his brain noticed that Jordan barely hesitated to follow Ethan.

"INCOMING!"

The verbal warning was the only help that Stiles was able to offer before to teenage boys with glowing golden eyes came rampaging down the stairs. They stopped when they say the older werewolf, though still in human form, at the bottom. They quickly glanced around the room. As soon as their eyes landed on Mason both wolves' eyes immediately stopped glowing. With a threat no longer imminent Ethan moved out of the way to walk back to where he'd been standing, as did Jordan.

The two teen boys nearly ran over to Mason and sandwiched him in a hug. They were whispering in his ears about not doing that again, about not leaving without telling them. Ethan could smell the worry from the wolves and the relief that he was safe, as well as hear everything that was being whispered to him. Once again, his heart broke for them. "So young," he thought.

Stiles trudged down the stairs scratching the back of his head while yawning loudly. "Morning Dad," he mumbled.

"Stiles," the sheriff ground out. The way the sheriff turned his name in to a demand made a small twitch of a smile appear at the corner of Jordan's mouth. Instead of the implied question that Jordan's name invoked, Stiles' name came across more as, "I know you're in the middle of some big mess that most likely has a supernatural explanation so you better start talking quickly before I lose my temper."

Releasing a heavy sigh Stiles pointed to one of the chairs. "You'd better sit down, dad. This could take a while." Stiles sat in the middle of the couch and found himself suddenly surrounded by three sophomores. He couldn't help the lop-sided grin when he realized that they boys were back in the same spots there were in last night. Liam on his left, Mason on his right, and Brett sitting on the floor in front of him between his feet. Though they weren't snuggled this time they were still sitting super close. It was almost squishing him, but he was more than happy to put up with it.

The Lydia smiled softly at them as she noticed the same thing that Stiles had. She decided to sit next to Liam this time, with Jordan sitting on the arm of the couch behind her. Ethan mimicked his position on the opposite end of the couch. The sheriff didn't miss the fact that everything in their body language and group body language screamed that this was an 'us vs. them' moment for these kids. And he'd do his damnedest to make sure that he ended up in the 'us' group instead of the 'them' category.

"Before we start," Stiles began. "I want to make sure that everyone knows everyone else." He tapped Liam on the leg then pointed over to Ethan. "That's our friend Ethan Carver. He's one of the good guys." Liam nodded before looking back at his hands that were clasped in his lap. Ethan hadn't expected the surge of happiness, contentment, and pride at hearing Stiles words. It made him sit up a little straighter, a little taller.

"Mason," Stiles tapped the teen on his leg as well. "Again," pointing to Ethan. "That's Ethan. And have you met Jordan Parrish?" He asked as he pointed to the deputy seated behind Lydia. He nodded, his eyes wary and tired. "Do you know everyone, Dad?" Stiles asked his father.

"I've met everyone if that's what you're asking," replied the sheriff.

"Close enough for us to get on with the explaining," Stiles shrugged. "Okay." He smacked his palm on the thumb's end of his other fist, repeatedly. "Where to start? Where to start?" He asked himself as he continued to fidget. The sheriff sat back in the chair, put one ankle across his other knee, and then pinched the bridge of his nose again.

"Start at the beginning, Stiles," Lydia supplied gently. His head whipped to give her look that let her know that he thought she was being less than helpful. He wanted to snap at her, but none of this was her fault. She's being trying to pick up the pieces as much as he has. He took a breath and made sure his voice was calm. For the most part he succeeded.

"And which beginning would that be, Lydia?" He voice only held a small amount of snark. Jordan put his hand on Lydia's shoulder to remind her that she wasn't alone. She let out a huff of breath as she seemed to sink into the couch, the weight of defeat on her narrow shoulders.

"How about we start by you telling me what a chimera is?" Ethan suggested. It seemed like a safe place to start and he really wanted to know about it anyway.

"Right," Stiles clasped his hands together. "There are these guys called the Dread Doctors . . ."

Over the next hour or so every person added their own portion of the events that led up to them all being in that room at that moment. Questions had been asked and answered. Tears were shed, both of sorrow and of anger. By the end of the tale they were all emotionally exhausted. Silence followed as each got lost in their own thoughts.

"Let me make sure I understand this," the sheriff finally spoke up. "Parrish is a Hellhound that takes the bodies of the chimeras to the Nematon. Theo is a chimera who has somehow managed to convince Scott and Malia that these three," he motioned to the boys sitting with his son, "need to be killed for who knows what reason. Theo broke in last night, which is why the door is broken. You called Derek Hale for help who then called Ethan to be here until Derek himself could get here. And Ethan was part of the Alpha pack that came to town a few years ago, but then he and his brother stuck around to help against the Nogitsune."

The sheriff searched all the faces of those across from him finding all heads nodding and all of them looking like they bore the weight of the world on their young shoulders.

"Well then," he sat forward in his chair, unconsciously mimicking the posture of his son – elbows on knees with hands clasped together in front of him. "How can I help?"

He could literally watch as muscles and postures relaxed on the people in the room. He was glad that if he could help in no other way that he could offer an emotionally safe adult that would take their side.

Part 8

The group spent the day at the Stilinski house since it was Sunday. It was a quiet, somber affair. The sheriff slept for a little while since he hadn't gotten home until after sun up. The others dozed off and on throughout the day. Without seeming to even have to discuss it or be conscious of it, Ethan and Jordan made sure that one or the other of them was awake at all times. There was no laughter, no joking, no smart ass comments. There were very few comments period.

The house had the atmosphere of a mausoleum. There was no need to whisper and yet they all did it instinctively. They moved quietly. Hell, even Stiles was quiet and still. Lydia stayed tucked in to Jordan's side on one end of the couch most of the day. Ethan and Stiles had each claimed one of the chairs facing the couch.

Liam spent most of the day in the fetal position on the floor between Mason and Brett with his head in Brett's lap and Mason's hand resting on his hip. Brett had has arm out across the front of the couch behind Mason's back, and Mason would occasionally lean his head back on Brett's arm or he'd lean over a little and rest his head on Brett's shoulder. Occasionally Liam would turn over and rest his head on Mason's leg. No one ever said anything about it, but they could all see the tears that were silently leaking from Liam's closed eyes. Whenever there was even the slightest sniffle Brett would use his free hand to run it through Liam's hair.

They all barely moved. They didn't eat, the thought of food made each of them sick. The only repeated movement was Ethan occasionally texting back and forth with Derek who was still on his way.

When the sun was no more than a few hours away from the horizon the sheriff made his way down the stairs. He'd noticed how and quite the house was when he'd awoken, so he wasn't sure if anyone was even in the house still. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs to take in the scene before him. Acid churned in his stomach. The only thought that kept running though his mind was, "They're broken." It was both a statement of sadness and a reminder to himself that he needed to find a way to help them.

As he made his way toward the kitchen he glanced at the front door and noticed that it hadn't been repaired yet. Reflex made him turn to say something to Stiles, but one look at the group made him rethink it. Hell, he wasn't even sure if anyone (other than Ethan) had even noticed that he had entered the room. But he knew that sometimes it was doing the ordinary, mundane things that helped the most.

"Could someone help me repair this?" He asked in a normal speaking volume, but even that had a few of them startled.

Just as he suspected would be the case, Ethan and Jordan immediately got up to help. The enhanced strength came in handy when it was time to hammer in the nails. They made sure to reinforce the door frame so that the chances of it being able to be forced open were drastically reduced. Lydia and Stiles watched them work, but neither of them was actually focused on the trio.

Once the door was repaired the Sheriff and Jordan made sure that all of the tools were put away. Ethan was back in his chair and Jordan was back next to Lydia. The sheriff disappeared in to the kitchen. Some clanking and general banging around could be heard. The first time he made a noise everyone jumped, after that the somber group was used to it.

As the sun began to set the sheriff entered the silent front room.

"I know that you probably aren't all that hungry, but I made some soup. You all need to eat something even if it's just some of the broth." He motioned for everyone to follow him. The occupants slowly dragged themselves up and into the kitchen.

Some folding chairs had been set up around the table so that there were enough seats for everyone. At first there was just some quiet slurping as no one (other than the sheriff) consumed anything except the broth of the vegetable beef soup. One glance around the kitchen told Ethan that it was made from scratch so he took a bite of the solid content. 

"Sheriff," he spoke quietly once he had swallowed. "This is really good." He used his spoon to point to the bowl of soup in front of him.

"Thank you," came the reply. "And please, call me John." He smiled at the young man.

Ethan didn't know why, but the thought of being allowed to be on a first name basis with Stiles' dad made him almost as warm inside as the soup did. That was the second time since he'd been here that someone had just randomly said something that had so deeply affected him. He knew he originally came here because he owed Derek. And he was bored. But mainly because he owed Derek. But now? Now he knew that he would stay and protect these people no matter the cost to himself. They had accepted him without question and he felt needed and appreciated. "How the hell did that happen so fast?" He wondered to himself. He'd have to think about it later, because right now his stomach was letting him know how much it appreciated the soup and wanted more.

Looking around the table he noticed that he wasn't the only one that suddenly realized how hungry they were.

"Is there any more, sir?" Jordan asked, glancing over to his boss.

He nodded his head in the direction of the stove. "There's plenty." He smiled at the Deputy. "Oh, and Parrish?" The sheriff waited until the younger officer was looking at him. "When we're off duty you can call me John." He smiled softly at the young man.

"Thank you, sir." He grinned, and then ruefully shook his head as he realized what he'd just said. "I mean, John." He wandered over to the stove and refilled his bowl. He walked back to the table and set down his bowl.

"Does anyone else want any more while I'm up?" he asked around the table. Soon he'd refilled everyone's bowl. The three wolves actually went through a third bowl as well. If anyone wanted any more than that, unfortunately the pot was empty. John thought that he'd made way too much, but he realized that he was going to have to stock enough food to feed a small army over the next few days, at least.

Although the tone was still quiet and somewhat withdrawn, the three youngest had some color back in their faces, as did Lydia. Her bruise was a deep purple, almost black, and her cheek bone was swollen to the point of making her eye not able to open all the way. John wouldn't be surprised if she had a hairline fracture. The atmosphere in the room was slightly more at ease than it had been, which John took as a good sign.

Stiles stood up to start clearing the table. Mason and Lydia hopped up to help him. Brett and Liam headed over to the kitchen to start cleaning up the dinner's preparation mess. With so many helping it only took a few minutes for all of the dishes to be put in the dishwasher and for the kitchen and dining room to be cleaned.

Even though there was no real reason to stay there, no one left the kitchen/dining room. It seemed like no one was quite ready to go back in to the front room. They all stood and sat around in silence, though it wasn't the same unnerving silence that had descended in the front room. This was more like the silence that follows a big meal when everyone is full and content and no one wants to break the moment.

Unfortunately, someone else decided to break it for them. The three wolves popped their heads up at the same time, having heard and smelled the same thing outside. It was confirmed to the rest when someone from outside shouted.

"ETHAN!"

Part 9

Ethan reached the door first, but was unable to open it. It took him a split second to understand why – the mountain ash. Luckily, Parrish and Stiles were only about a step behind him. Stiles swung the door open so hard that the stray thought that if Stiles had been a wolf he'd have rip the door off its hinges ran through Ethan's head.

Standing just off of the porch were Scott, Malia, and Theo (who still looked a little pale from blood loss). Ethan noticed that the sun had long since set and it was nearly full dark outside. Stiles and Ethan stood side by side in the door way, both with their arms folded across their chests. Jordan stood a step behind and to the side of Stiles with his gun drawn but his hands down at this side. Ethan could both hear and sense the others coming in to the room. Lydia was shielding the boys behind her outstretched arms, even though it may have partially been to hold the two young wolves back from attacking. John mirrored Jordan's stance on Ethan's side and one step back, gun drawn.

"What do you want?" Stiles ground out through clenched teeth to the trio on his lawn.

"What do we want?" Scott repeated the question as though he would've thought the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. "We came to make Ethan pay for what he did to Theo. We also came to lay claim to Liam; he's coming with us." Scott took a step forward as if to assert his authority.

"And what exactly did I do to Theo?" Ethan asked almost casually.

"He came here to talk and make peace and you ruthlessly attacked him," Scott accused. "You could've killed him!" Because Scott had walked forward a step that left Theo behind him, meaning that Scott couldn't see the amused smirk that appeared on Theo's face. The group inside the house was stunned, frozen, and silent. Until they all burst out laughing that is.

The longer the laughter went on the more confused both Scott and Malia became. Every time Stiles or Ethan would try to talk they'd start to laugh again. This went on for several minutes before Scott finally let out a roar. A roar which had Brett wrap his arms around Liam's waist as the young beta took an involuntary step toward his alpha.

"Scott," Ethan spat, not having missed the movement behind him. "You're an idiot." Scott looked more confused than insulted. Ethan poked a finger at the mountain ash shield and blue electricity sparked from the contact. "The house is warded with mountain ash. I can't get out." He tone of voice indicating that he was trying to explain something to a two year old. "The only way I could've gotten out to him is to have someone break the seal, which I wouldn't have done. Because if it came down here in the front then it would've been down in the back. How could I have been sure that it wasn't a trap or a distraction?" Ethan tried to point out the flaw in Scott's logic.

"But you nearly killed him," Scott argued.

"Oh, that part's true enough," Ethan agreed, which caused an even more confused look on Scott's, and Malia's, face. "But not because I went outside." He'd let them try to work through that on their own. "I mean, did you see what he did to Lydia?" He pointed behind him. "That alone would've been cause for vengeance."

Scott and Malia took several steps forward until they could see Lydia inside the well-lit house, her bruised and swollen cheek prominently on display. Malia gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth.

"No," she whispered, the smell of shock and denial rolling off of her in waves. "He wouldn't." But she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than anyone else. She glanced back and forth between the banshee and the teen behind her.

Scott just looked between Ethan and Stiles as though he was trying to put together a puzzle. "So you admit to attacking Theo?" He directed his question at the older wolf.

"Proudly," came the reply. "But I never set foot outside the house." Ethan couldn't believe that Scott still hadn't figured it out. Neither could Stiles.

"Oh my god, Scott," Stiles bit out in exasperation, his head shaking and arms flailing. "Theo came inside. He's. A. Chimera." Stiles broke off each word to make sure that Scott heard and understood each one. "He broke open the door and just walked inside, across the mountain ash. That's when Ethan protected us." Stiles looked at Scott as if he'd never seen him before.

"Tha . . . that's not possible," Scott denied, though it didn't sound convincing to anyone.

"Think about it Scott," Stiles prodded. Malia was the first to see all of the pieces fit together and took a step away from Theo, toward Scott, with a combination look of shock, terror, and disgust on her face.

"It's a lie, Scott," Theo defended himself. He knew he was about to lose everything he'd been working towards. "Stiles has turned the others against us because I told you that he murdered Donovan." There, Theo thought to himself, explain that to everyone Stiles.

Scott stared at Stiles. "Is that true? Is this because I got angry about you murdering Donovan?"

Stiles shook his head in disgust. "You two keep saying murder as if I meant for him to die. It was an accident."

It was Scott's turn to shake his head. "How is beating in his skull with a wrench until is splinters and is smashed in an accident?"

Stiles eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. "What the hell are you talking about?" Stiles nearly screeched. "We fought. I climbed up the scaffolding to get away from him but some of the rebar and tools slid off a shelf that broke and impaled him. I called 9-1-1 but by the time the deputy got there his body was gone." Scott's eyes narrowed at Stiles answer, but then flickered to Jordan and then back to Stiles.

"Yes," Jordan barked out sarcastically. "Let's blame the Hellhound who had absolutely no idea what he was doing." John reached out his arm and set his hand on the deputy's shoulder. He didn't say anything, just left his hand there to offer his silent support.

"Hellhound?" Scott, Theo, and Malia all asked, getting sidetracked from the main topic. John cleared his throat indicating that they should try to stay focused.

"Uh, right," Stiles tried to remember what he'd been saying. "Anyway, what happened to Donovan was an accident. I didn't mean to kill him. I was just trying to get away from him. He was trying to kill me. He'd even bitten me." Seeing Scott's skeptical look, "Don't believe me? Ask Malia. She's seen it." Scott glanced over to the werecoyote for confirmation.

"The back of his right shoulder," she supplied.

"That just proves that you had motive, not that it was an accident," Theo interjected.

"Oh my god," Stiles threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. Before he said or did something that he might regret Stiles actually walked away from the door back toward Lydia and the boys. Without hesitation Ethan stepped to the middle of the door with the two officers flanking him.

"You still don't think your boy over there is a chimera, do you?" Ethan asked Scott.

Scott shook his head. "It's not possible. We've all seen what happens to the chimeras."

"Then you won't mind a little test," Jordan interrupted.

"What kind of test?" Scott asked skeptically.

"Simple," Jordan clarified. "Come touch the barrier. You've seen that we can't get through it. Show us that you three can't either."

Scott thought about it for a moment then nodded. He walked forward and hesitantly touched the barrier with his hand. Blue light rippled out from the contact and he pulled his hand away with a hiss. He indicated for Malia to come up and touch it. She too got shocked by the blue lightning. When Scott motioned to Theo, Theo shook his head.

"This is stupid," he said. "What does this prove? That we we're dumb enough to touch it and get shocked? No thanks." Theo held up his hands and shook his head. That got Scott's attention.

"It's the fastest way to prove that they're wrong," Scott explained. He and Malia each grabbed one of Theo's arms and drug him forward toward the door. When he was standing directly in front of it they let him go.

Knowing that Jordan seemed to have a plan, Ethan took a step back and switched places with the deputy. Seeing Theo's hesitation Jordan reached across the barrier and yanked Theo into the house and right in to the waiting claws of Ethan. Scott and Malia stood there in shock, eyes wide and mouths agape.

Instead of having his claws through the front of Theo's neck, this time Ethan had them wrapped around his spine. Theo wrapped his hands around Ethan's wrist behind his head, whether to try to remove the claws or to make sure that they stayed in and didn't rip their way out was unclear.

"Nice, J," Ethan smiled at the deputy, who grinned at the nickname. John just chuckled. Malia and Scott still hadn't moved. "What was it you were saying about it being impossible that he's a chimera?" Ethan asked Scott. Scott just stared at Theo in disbelief.

"Yes, I'm a chimera," Theo admitted. "All that proves is that I have more reason than anyone to defeat the Dread Doctors." He looked pleadingly at Scott. "That's why I came here; I needed your help so that they wouldn't be able to do to anyone else what they did to me."

That made enough sense to Scott. "Let him go," the alpha growled to former alpha. "He's part of my pack and I need him in order to defeat the Dread Doctors."

"You claim this mutt as pack?" Ethan asked for clarification.

"Yes," Scott grumbled around his elongating fangs. He wasn't sure when it had happened but he did think of Theo as pack now. Seeing her alpha shift, Malia shifted too. Ethan heard a low growl behind him and knew that Liam had also shifted when his alpha did. But he trusted the others to keep the kid from hurting anyone, including himself.

"Then as his alpha you too shall be held responsible for his actions," the former alpha announced. "You see Scott, there's a lot more to being the alpha of a pack than you realize," Ethan informed him. "As his alpha you are held accountable for his crimes. In fact, he may get off with a slap on the wrist while you end up with your throat ripped out." Scott's stance shifted a little as he looked a little surprised. "THAT's what being the alpha is all about. It's all on you, both good and bad."

"But he's old enough to make his own choices," Scott said, though it came out sounding more like a question than a statement.

"This isn't the human world where you can just ground him, Scott," Ethan explained. "You're the alpha. That's why it's so important to keep track of and train your betas." Ethan motioned over his shoulder to the fidgeting Liam. "And you've done neither with this pup. He's not fully trained and he's allowed to wander around without you with him or your scent on him."

"What are you talking about?" Scott asked confused.

"How are you even an alpha?" Brett piped up from inside the house where he still struggled against his friend.

"I keep wondering the same thing." The voice came from behind Scott and Malia causing them to spin around in alarm. A body stepped out of the shadows.

"Derek," Scott whispered. Was that a twinge of fear in his voice?

Derek sauntered forward a few steps. "Scott," he began, the disapproval dripping from every syllable. "What the fuck have you done this time?" He crossed his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow.

"It wasn't me," the young alpha defended himself. "It was these guys." He pointed in to the house. Derek's other eyebrow shot up to join the first.

"The only thing that they" as he jutted his chin out toward the house "did wrong was to trust you," Derek replied. He took a step closer to Scott, anger radiating off of him, enough to cause his cousin to take a step back away from Scott. "You trusted a stranger over your best friend. The friend who has been with you since the day you were bitten. The one who has stood by you through everything. The one, though he's human, has stood next to you against every nasty thing that has come for your head.

"You turned against Lydia," Derek continued. "The one who's been through just as much as you have, if not more. The one who has to know and feel all the death that being around you causes. The one who's been there through it all too. You attacked your own beta. And worse, on the say so of a stranger. Not only that, you attacked a human member of your own pack. AND, the beta of an allied pack. Seriously Scott, no one here will have to kill you because his alpha will do it for us." Derek just shook his head in disgust before he turned his anger on his cousin.

"And you," he spat. "You chose a stranger over your own boyfriend. The boyfriend that has been with you through everything. Who has protected and loved you. You chose the one person that you knew Stiles didn't trust. And then you chose to go after your own pack members."

Malia hung her head in shame. She knew she'd screwed up. If she'd done this in the wild she'd already be dead.

"Malia," Stiles stepped forward toward the door. "I see that you realize how badly you messed up." She nodded her head, not daring to look up at him. "I understand that your coyote recognized Theo's coyote," that caused her to jerk her head up and look back and forth from Theo to Stiles. She hadn't know that he was part coyote. "And that's why you trusted him. I'm not upset that you betrayed me; that's pretty much par for the course of my love life. But you tried to kill the boys. And I cannot forgive that."

Her mouth moved before her brain engaged. "You forgave Ethan," she spat as she motioned at the wolf still holding on to Theo.

"He," Stiles explained. "Came to town as a bad guy, tried to kill me and Scott, and then became a good guy. He's never tried to hurt the boys. Never. If fact, he's only ever tried to protect them. While you . . . you were one of us first. We trusted you and you betrayed that trust. That's the difference." Malia dropped her head again. "No one inside this house will ever be able to trust you again."

The most painful part of hearing Stiles is that he didn't yell, he didn't sound pissed. He sounded forlorn and sad. He was just so resigned to the fact that this had happened that it broke her heart in to a million little pieces, knowing that she had done that.

"Malia," Derek spoke quietly but firmly. "The only reason that you will be allowed to leave here with your life is because you are my cousin, my blood. But if I see you, hear you, smell you, or in any way sense you near Beacon Hills again I will kill you myself. Do you understand?" He waited until she looked up and met his eyes and nod before continuing. "Then leave now and never return." He turned from her as she took off at a run toward her house.

"You can't do that," Scott sputtered. "She's in my pack, not yours." Derek took a step closer to Scott, so that he was just out of arm's reach.

"You don't have a pack anymore," the older wolf ground out through clenched teeth. Scott's eyes narrowed.

"I'm the True Alpha. I'm the only real Alpha in Beacon Hills. You have no right to speak to me like that." Scott's eyes blazed blood red in his anger.

"Satomi would have something to say to that. In fact, I'm pretty sure that the only thing keeping Brett from trying to rip you in to little pieces for insulting his alpha is the mountain ash barrier." Scott glanced over at the door to see that Brett was, in fact, standing in the doorway in wolf mode. And no one was trying to stop him or placate him, which spoke volumes to Scott.

"Besides," Derek brought Scott's attention back to him. "You're no True Alpha. Not anymore. You may still have the red eyes, but everything that made people want to follow you is gone."

"Who are you to speak to me like that? You're not even an alpha anymore!"

"I may not be an alpha," Derek admitted. "But I am still the oldest member of the Hale pack and you are standing right in the middle of Hale territory. As long as you were protecting the innocent I've let you believe that you were in charge. But this is MY territory, not yours. It has never been yours. And nothing you can say or do can change that."

Scott glared at Derek before smirking. "LIAM!" Scott roared in alpha mode.

The short beta wrenched his arms from the humans holding him. He met resistance in the form of the sheriff and his deputy, but that didn't last long as he grabbed both guns and crumpled them in his hands as easily as he would have crumpled paper. When they moved to grab him he shoved the sheriff who hit the wall and collapsed about 10 feet away. Jordan proved slightly more of a challenge due to his combat skills. But even they were no match for the strong beta, who sent him hurtling in to the opposite wall as the sheriff. Ethan couldn't do much to help because he still had hold of Theo who had started to struggle when Liam started distracting his captor. That left Brett.

Brett turned to face his friend. He had nearly a foot of height on Liam, but Brett knew that meant nothing because Liam was seriously strong. Especially when his IED got triggered, which it looked like it had. "Liam!" Brett yelled to his friend as he tried to get through to him. Liam tackled Brett ramming them in to the barrier causing them to ricochet back in to the front room. The way that they landed allowed Brett's longer body to completely cover Liam's smaller one. He used it to his advantage as he pinned his friend beneath him.

Liam roared and gnashed his fangs at his friend. But Brett was not to be deterred. "Liam look at me," Brett spoke firmly to the struggling boy beneath him. Liam finally did lock eyes with him, but he still fought against him. But that moment was all that Brett needed to know that he would be able to get through to Liam. "What three things cannot long be hidden?" He asked softly. "The sun, the moon, the truth." He supplied the answer himself, but there was something about the look on Liam's face that indicated he'd understood. So he repeated the question.

"What three things cannot long be hidden?" He waited a heartbeat before reciting the answer. "The sun, the moon, the truth." Liam's struggles became less forceful. Brett concentrated on slowing his own racing heart hoping that Liam would feel it and slow his own.

"What three things cannot long be hidden?" This time Liam mouthed the response with him though no sound escaped his lips. "The sun, the moon, the truth." Brett's heartrate had slowed enough that he shifted his facial features back to human, wanting to show Liam that Brett was not a threat. In response Liam too shifted back to his human face.

"What three things cannot long be hidden?" This time Liam answered with him. "The sun, the moon, the truth." Liam blinked at he looked up at Brett and really saw him this time. He eyes held questions but the only reply he received was Brett's whisper. "The sun. . ."

To which Liam's reply was automatic, "The moon . . ."

And together they finished the mantra, "The truth." When Liam looked up at Brett with those blue eyes, so lost and confused, it broke his heart.

He just dropped his head forward on to Liam's should and whispered in his ear, "You're safe now. I have you." Again and again until Liam relaxed completely on the floor. Tilting his head up to tuck his face in to the crook of Brett's neck.

Once the skirmish inside settled, Derek returned his glare to Scott and smirked. Scott just looked stunned. It shouldn't have been that easy to break through to a beta who'd been commanded by his maker alpha.

"You see Scott," Derek snarked. "Even your beta doesn't really want you anymore." The alpha just stood frozen. "Release your claim to Liam and I'll let you leave with your life." Derek was so calm and matter-of-fact about the statement that Scott almost thought he was kidding. However, one look in his face showed that he clearly was not.

"And if I don't?" Scott asked curious but not quite defiant.

"You'll leave in a body bag." Again with the calm voice. Which meant that Derek knew he'd won and that Scott had no other good option than to capitulate.

He voice was sad and quiet. "I hereby release all claims to the beta Liam Dunbar." He hung his head in defeat.

A long sigh of relief could be heard from inside the house as the need to get to his alpha left Liam. Brett may have been able to calm him down enough to allow himself to be held on the ground, but his wolf had still smashed against its cage trying to get to its alpha. With the alpha claim gone the wolf instantly settled.

"Because of our history," Derek spoke to the teen in front of him. "I'll allow you one chance to leave. Leave Beacon Hills and never return. If you ever set foot in Hale territory again I will kill you myself."

Scott stared at the man for a moment before deciding that he was very serious and would indeed follow through with his threat. "What will you do to Theo?" Scott wasn't sure that he wanted to know.

"That's no longer your concern," Derek responded. "Unless you'd like to join him?" Scott shook his head and then took off running, not bothering to look back at the house.

Derek walked to the open front door. Although unable to enter yet he was able to reassure himself that everyone was still alive and ultimately okay. The sheriff and Parrish were waking up, with Stiles and Lydia, respectively, helping them up. Ethan still had his claws wrapped around Theo's spine. Mason was crawling over to where Liam and Brett were laying on the floor hugging each other.

"Someone want to let me in?" Derek chuckled. Stiles smiled and walked over to the front door and used his foot to break the seal of mountain ash. Before Derek could take a step inside the house he found his arms full of a crying Stiles. Derek didn't know what to say; Stiles had never hugged him before. The chemo signals coming off the human were confusing: relief, sadness, betrayal, fear, gratitude, love. Not romantic love, but more like familial love. Derek returned the hug until Stiles was able to compose himself. It told of what kind of day it had been when no one questioned it or teased either one about it.

Stiles regained his composure and stepped back from Derek. He wasn't sure why, but Derek suddenly felt empty without the touch. He glanced over at the young human trying to figure out why, but to no avail.

"What about this asshole?" Ethan reminded the group that he was still holding Theo.

Everyone was now back on their feet and the gathered around the wolf and the chimera. "I personally vote that we kill him," Ethan offered. He'd fully expected to be met with disapproving looks, but instead he was met with nods. That actually kind of freaked him out a little.

"No one's killing anyone," John spoke up. Ethan let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Dad," Stiles turned to his dad. "I'm usually the first one to advocate trying to save someone's life, but no human justice system will be able to handle him. And he needs to be brought to justice. So that leaves only two choices that I can see. Eichen House or Nematon." Stiles looked around at the group.

"Eichen House won't hold him," Lydia piped up. "He's not supernatural," she pointed out.

"Then I'll take him out to the Nematon," Derek said. Ethan jerked his head toward the other former alpha.

"No," Ethan said quietly. "I said that they were under my protection and as such I'll do it."

"Their protection has always been my responsibility," Derek argued. "The only reason you're here is because I called you. You've been trying to get away from your old life. I can't allow you to do something that could jeopardize that." Derek gave Ethan a look of pride and understanding.

"You are such a boy scout," Ethan joked which caused the others, except Theo obviously, to chuckle. "Here we are arguing over who's going to kill him not because either of us want to but because we don't want the other one to have to be the one to do it." Ethan reached out his free hand and lightly smacked Derek on the arm. "What a pair we make."

"Please Ethan," Derek pled. "Keep them safe here just a little longer." He reached out and dug his claws into the front of Theo's neck. Ethan withdrew his hand and placed it on Derek's shoulder.

"I'll protect them with my life," he swore. "You two just don't take too long."

Derek nodded as he and Jordan led Theo out in to the night.

Part 10

By the time that Derek and Jordan got back to the Stilinski house barely an hour had passed. The teens had all contacted their parents and let them know that they were staying the night and would be home in the morning to get ready for school.

School. How were they supposed to go back to school in the morning as if nothing had happened? Hayden was dead, Theo was dead, Scott and Malia had been exiled. Nothing would ever be the same.

Even though it wasn't yet ten o'clock every spare blanket and pillow had been piled in the middle of the front room floor and the chairs had been pushed back away from the couch. Mason, Brett, Liam, and Lydia were already cuddled together on the floor. Ethan was sitting on the couch chuckling as he watched them wiggle around and try to get comfortable. John was puttering around in the kitchen. And Stiles was upstairs changing clothes.

"Stop laughing, Ethan," Lydia grumbled, which just made the wolf laugh more.

"I can't help it," He chuckled. "You guys are funny."

"And how exactly are we funny?" She demanded, elbowing Mason in the ribs.

"Because you all are fighting against the pull of the wolves," he explained. That made everyone in the room stop and look at him, including Stiles who had been walking down the stairs.

"Explain," Brett leaded his head back so that Ethan looked upside down to him.

Ethan sighed. "In the wild, when wolves want to offer each other comfort for whatever reason they can't exactly hold hands or give hugs. So they curl up in a big pile with each other. You guys are trying to do that instinctually, but at the same time your logical human brains are fighting against it." He shrugged his shoulders as though the explanation should have been obvious.

"Okay," Lydia made the word sounds like it was several syllables longer that it really was. "That may explain Liam and Brett, but that doesn't explain why Mason and I can't get comfortable."

"You may not be a wolves, but you're still part of a wolf pack." They both turned over on to their stomachs to look at him for further explanation. "You two are in tune enough with all of the wolves around you and their chemo signals that the need to be in a . . . puppy pile is affecting you as well." He grinned. "Just give in and go with it."

Lydia barely had time to squeak as Ethan dove between her and Mason. The latter, of course, grinning as the sexy wolf tried to cuddle.

"Hey!" Stiles fussed as he continued walking down the stairs. "Hands off my pup!" Ethan felt as if he'd been slapped. He'd thought that things were better between them now.

"He's a minor," Stiles began to explain, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "No being touched by the sexy older wolf." Ethan grinned as he realized that Stiles had been teasing him. Sort of. In response Ethan just pulled Mason in to a tight hug and stuck his tongue out at Stiles. Stiles just laughed and softly kicked Ethan's foot.

Ethan wasn't attracted to Mason. Yeah, the kid was good looking and nice, but he really was too young for him. But that didn't mean that he didn't like to rile up Stiles, or that he didn't like to cuddle with hot guys.

"Does that mean that all wolves have the love language of physical touch?" Lydia asked as she patted the blankets next to her, motioning to Jordan to lay down next to her. He toed off his shoes and laid down allowing Lydia to snuggle in to his side, using his chest as her pillow.

"Love language?" Ethan asked confused.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "There are five love languages. A love language is how a person shows love and wants to be shown that they're loved or cared for. There's physical touch, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and gift giving. What you said about wolves is a good description of physical touch." She explained. "It doesn't have to mean sexual touch. Just physical contact; like holding hands, cuddling, a hand on a shoulder, and those kind of things."

Ethan thought about it for a few minutes. "Yeah." He conceded. "That would be a good way to describe it." Then another thought occurred to him. "But the human side of us werewolves may have a different love language. Which would explain why you guys couldn't get settled." The room's occupants nodded as they started thinking about it. "What are the other ones like?"

"Well," she said. "Quality time is just about being together. Like we have been today. Just together. Words of affirmation is about needing to hear the 'I love you' and 'you're cared for' kind of things. Gift giving means you like to shower people you care about with gifts, even if they're small little things. And acts of service means that you like to do nice things for the people you care about, just because you can."

The room fell in to a contemplative silence as they each tried to figure out which best described them.

"What are you?" Jordan softly asked the woman in his arms.

"Words of affirmation with a little quality time thrown in," she answered.

"Gift giving and acts of services," floated through from the kitchen. They all looked up as John walked in. "What?" he asked at their looks. "Yes, I was eavesdropping. Don't give me those looks." He smiled as they laughed. The first semi-real laugh he'd heard since this started. It was a really nice sound.

"Quality time," Jordan admitted.

"Words of affirmation," said Mason.

"It's a toss-up between quality time and acts of service," Stiles announced.

"Human me is quality time with words of affirmation a close second," Brett stated. "And my wolf is totally physical touch."

"Me too," agreed Ethan.

"Me three," admitted Derek.

"I have to admit that I've become a lot more touchy-feely since I was turned. But I didn't understand why. Now I know it's because it's what my wolf craved." Liam blushed as he spoke. "But I've always been physical touch, so it's just gotten even worse."

"Aww," Stiles crawled out of the chair where he'd been sitting and laid down on the far side of Liam. "My pup needs more hugs." He laughed as he pulled the shorter teen in a big hug. Liam pretended to struggle for a few seconds before giving in and snuggling deeper in to the hug.

"Okay you guys," John tapped the back of the couch getting their attention. "It's getting late and you all have to get up pretty early in the morning. Light's out." The obligatory groans and pleas were the response, but by the looks on their faces he could tell that they were all fine with going to sleep. It had been a long few days and they were physically and emotionally exhausted.

Stiles rolled Liam over and playfully pushed him closer to Brett. Stiles then scooted closer to the two wolves. Derek laid down behind Stiles sliding his arm under the teen's pillow. On the other side of Brett, Mason was using Ethan's arm as a pillow as the older wolf had snuggled up behind the human. Ethan had that hand touching Brett's shoulder. Lydia had her back up against Ethan as she cuddled in to Jordan' arms.

John just smiled a content, fatherly smile as he turned off the lights and headed upstairs to bed as he thought to himself, "They're going to be okay."

Part 11

Morning came far too soon for anyone's liking. The room was filled with grumbles and groans as the occupants slowly came to full consciousness. By the time that all of the blankets had been folded up and they and the pillows put away, the pot of coffee that Stiles had finished brewing was ready. It was 6:30 in the morning and the sun hadn't even decided if it wanted to wake up yet. There was no way that any of them were going to be able to function without caffeine. Even John stumbled downstairs when he smelled it.

"Are there any more eggs?" Derek had his head in the refrigerator. Stiles shrugged not knowing.

"There should be about a half dozen in there," John answered.

"I was going to make eggs, but do you have stuff to make pancakes or French toast instead?" Derek asked John. The two set about making breakfast for everyone and Stiles started a fresh pot of coffee since the first one was already empty.

Soon enough, everyone was seated at the dining room table eating the pancakes. Maybe inhaling would be a more apt description. There hadn't been enough bacon or sausage for everyone so it was just lots and lots of pancakes. But no one minded. It was just nice to be together.

So it was that thirty minutes after waking up, the dishes were in the dishwasher, which was then started, and they were figuring out who was driving who.

"Liam's on my way," Lydia chimed. "I'll drop him off, go home and get ready, and then pick him up on the way to school."

"I've got to drive across town anyway," said Derek. "So I'll take Brett."

"That leaves me with Mason." Ethan gave an exaggerated wink. They all laughed, especially when Stiles smacked Ethan upside the back of the head.

"I'll have my dad drop me off at school," Stiles supplied.

"Speaking of across town," Jordan added. "Are you going to be okay at school by yourself Brett?" Although Jordan didn't know him all that well, he found himself strangely protective of the three youngest members of the group.

Brett nodded uncertainly. "I should be. But I promise to call or text if there's any problem." The group made sure that everyone had everyone else's numbers before they dispersed.

An hour later found Stiles, Lydia, Mason, and Liam gathered at Lydia's locker. "Everything seems weird," she mentioned. "No one has any idea the shit that happened this weekend. Look at them." She made a sweeping motion toward the hallway full of students. "They're oblivious. It doesn't seem right."

"I keep looking around waiting for Hayden to walk down the hall," Liam spoke softly, but they heard him. They also heard the heartbreak behind his words. Stiles wrapped him in a hug and set his chin on the young wolf's head. Lydia and Mason both rubbed his back. They heard a few sniggers from people passing in the hall but chose to ignore them.

"I'm pretty sure it's going to be an extra crappy day," Stiles said in his usual sarcastic tone. "So let's just go get it over with." The four walked off in different directions toward their classes.

Derek and Ethan were at Derek's loft getting cleaned up.

"Thank you," Derek said sincerely. He held out his hand to Ethan. No explanation as to the reason for the thank you was needed as Ethan already knew.

"You're welcome. I'm glad I came." He shook Derek's hand. "They're good kids who've been through hell."

"Yeah," the older wolf agreed. "And now they're an alpha-less pack."

Ethan nodded. "I was thinking about that. The only thing they're really missing is someone with the red eyes of an alpha. They already have us."

Derek narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "Explain."

"Part of being an alpha is the physical strength and the wisdom or experience, right?" Derek nodded. "You and I are both former alphas. We still have those things. We just have the blue eyes instead of the red." Again Derek nodded. "There's got to be some way for at least one of us to regain that extra oommph that makes a beta an alpha since we've already had it once."

"Hmm," mumbled Derek. "You think that you or I should regain our alpha status and claim this group as our pack?" He wanted to clarify.

"When you put it that way it sounds kind of weird, but I was actually thinking about protecting the others. Without an alpha they're omegas. And you and I both know that's not a safe thing to be." Both former alphas nodded in agreement.

"Brett has an alpha," Derek informed Ethan. "So he's still pretty safe."

"True, but he smells more like this pack than his own. I could barely smell Satomi and even then it was only after I was told that she was his alpha that I knew to try to find it."

"Yeah," Derek agreed. "He spends so much time with Liam and Mason that he became an honorary member of this pack."

"So that still leaves him in danger," Ethan finished the thought process for both of them.

"Well, hell," Derek sighed. "Let's try to find Deaton and ask him."

The two left in Derek's truck. The clinic was still closed so he hadn't been back there. They decided to try his apartment. As the two wolves entered the layer of dust on everything indicated that it had been some time since the druid/veterinarian had been in his home. They exchanged a look that screamed, this can't be good.

"Try to find anything that could lead us to him," Derek instructed.

Derek walked directly over to the desk and began searching through the books that we open on top. Under them all was an envelope with "Derek" scrawled on the front of it.

"Ethan," Derek held up the envelope to show his companion.

Derek,

If you're reading this than I am still not back. I left to try to find information on the Dread Doctors. But since you're at my apartment I've either been gone too long or there is some sort of emergency. If it is the former, please do not come looking for me. I'm probably already dead and you'd just end up getting yourself killed too and I couldn't handle that being on my conscience.

If it is the latter, I have spoken with a friend of mine and let her know that I am leaving her phone number for you. Though she is not a Druid she is extremely knowledgeable and powerful. She should be able to help you with whatever you need. (804) 555-2283

I hope to see you soon.

Alan Deaton

"Because that is in no way creepy," Ethan said, trying to ignore the shiver that just ran down his spine.

"Should we call the number?" Derek asked. Seeing Ethan nod, even if it was hesitantly, Derek took out his phone and called the number.

"Hello?" A female voice answered.

"Hi," Derek said, not knowing how to begin to explain why he called. "A friend of mine left a note with your phone number and instructions to call if I had an emergency." That was lame and he knew it. Based on the eye roll from Ethan, he knew it too.

"Alan Deaton?" she asked.

"Yes," he confirmed. "I came to his apartment looking for him but found a letter addressed to me instead.

"Is this Derek?"

"Uh . . . yeah," the older wolf was puzzled.

"Is this an over the phone emergency or do I need to be there in person?"

"Don't know," he admitted. "I wanted to know if there's a way to return a former alpha to his alpha status."

There was a pause on her end of the line. "Why?"

"Some things have happened here and now there's a pack without an alpha, which puts them in a dangerous position. I want to make sure that they're protected." He had a feeling that her question was a test. He just hoped that he passed.

"I'll be on the first flight out. Text me the address." She hung up before he could even ask her name. But at least he seemed to have passed whatever test she'd given him. He quickly text his address to the number he'd just called.

"Now," he looked up at Ethan. "We wait."

School sucked, Stiles was right. The tittering Liam had been hearing throughout the day had been getting steadily worse between each class period. He'd just come from history class here he had to sit next to an empty desk, where just a few days ago his girlfriend sat. As they left the classroom Mason took his hand. Liam gave it a squeeze in thanks.

Lydia saw what was going on and figured that it had to do with Hayden. So she walked up to them and gave him a kiss on the cheek before holding his other hand. Liam ducked his head as he blushed. Lydia and Mason just smiled at their friend. Stiles walked toward them and just held his arms open for the young wolf as he walked straight in to them and allowed himself to be wrapped in his friend's embrace. The four teens stood in close contact with each other.

Another laugh and Lydia jerked her head up at the chortling juniors. "What the fuck is your problem?" she bit out. Mason had to grab Lydia around the waist to keep her from stomping over to them.

Stiles leaned down to whisper in Liam's ear. "Do you want me to go kick their asses?" Liam chuckled.

"You know I love you, man, but," He began. Stiles just nodded.

"I know, I know. I'd get my ass handed to me," he acknowledged. Which brought a small smile to the shorter teen's face. "But it's the thought that counts. Right?"

Liam hugged him tighter. "It's definitely the thought that counts, big brother." Stiles grinned at being called his big brother and just hugged as hard as he could. Then he pulled Liam behind him as he turned to face the juniors.

"You guys have a problem?" He demanded.

"Just watchin' the love birds," the laughed.

"So guys aren't allowed to touch unless they're gay. Is that it?" Stiles asked angrily. "Where you not hugged enough as a child? Is that the problem?" That caused his group to laugh, which did not sit well with the bullying juniors.

"Why don't you come over here and say that to my face, dick face?" the clear leader asked.

"Why don't you say that to ours?" They spun around at the voice to be greeted by three large guys, all with their arms crossed over their chests. Two of them obviously older and one a lot taller.

"Who the fuck are you?" they demanded.

"We're the over protective big brothers," Derek told them.

"You guys okay?" Ethan looked toward his "pack". They nodded.

"They thought they'd have a laugh at us because Liam just came out of a class that he'd had with Hayden and needed a hug," Stiles informed them. Brett walked from behind the two older wolves and came around and gave Liam a big hug. Joking around, he lifted him off the ground by his waist. The short wolf just laughed and slapped his shoulder.

"Put me down, you big dork," he chuckled. And Brett obeyed.

"I suggest that you all never come near our family again," Ethan threatened the juniors. They just nodded and pushed each other faster down the hall.

"That was priceless," Mason said. "Where have you two been since I came out of the closet?" He joked.

"Whatcha doing here Brett?" Stiles asked confused. He looked down at his feet and started to blush.

"I . . . uh . . . I didn't like being over there by myself," he said quietly.

"So he text us and we picked him up," Derek told them. The other four nodded in understanding. Liam took his hand.

"We missed you too, Brett," he told the taller wolf. Brett just smiled down at his friend. The feel of Liam's hand in his make him warm all over. He knew that physical touch was Liam's love language, and well as that of their wolves, but he couldn't help but hope that maybe it meant a little more. Brett wasn't naïve. He knew that Liam had real feelings for Hayden, and Brett would never want to demean those feelings. But that didn't mean that he didn't relish the feel of the young wolf's hand in his.

"We're about to have lunch," Lydia told the three newcomers. "Wanna join us?" They nodded and the group headed out to the courtyard to sit down. Derek had his arm around Stiles with his hand on his shoulder.

"We went to Deaton's today," he told the teen.

"Oh yeah? What happened?"

"There was a letter with my name on it. It said that if we had an emergency to call a number so we did. Some lady said she'd be on the first flight out here." The whole group was listening to the conversation.

"Some lady?" Stiles inquired. "You didn't ask her name?"

"I didn't get a chance," Derek defended himself. "She hung up on me." That had the other laughing.

"So, Brett," Mason got his attention as they sat at a table. "You just come by to harass us for the day or are you going to join us cool kids and transfer Beason Hills?" Brett looked around the table at the faces looking back at him. They each held of look of interest, but there was no demand. And he knew in that instant that no matter his choice they would support him. They might teased him either way, but they would stand by him 100%.

"Don't know," he admitted. "Hadn't really thought about it. If I stay there I'll be the only one of us in that school. If I come here, I'll be with the rest of you but I won't be able to play lacrosse the rest of the season." Stiles and Liam both flinched at that, knowing how much the sport meant to the three of them.

"That's okay," Lydia piped up. "We still love you no matter which school you attend." The others nodded eagerly. And he knew that they did. He knew that somehow he'd found a real family. Even if he'd just met a few of this this weekend. He still knew. And based on the laughter and looks that he saw being passed around the lunch table, they all knew they'd found their family too.

Part 12

That evening found the group at Derek's loft. Derek, Ethan, and Brett had gone to the grocery store to pick up food for dinner and breakfast. They had also swung by Brett's home to grab an overnight bag and some pillows and blankets. By the time that the other's arrived, also having gone home to get sleepover stuff, Derek was in the middle of cooking dinner.

Brett had his homework spread out on the large table that had been set up near the kitchen. One by one the other students joined him as they worked on their homework as well. Someone would ask a homework question to the room as a whole and someone else would answer. Derek and Ethan even chimed in once in a while. About an hour later John and Jordan knocked on the door. They helped with dinner and homework.

"Alright," Derek interrupted. "Clear the table. Dinner's ready." Within minutes, all the school books had been put away and the table had been set. Everyone sat around the table as dinner was passed in a clockwise direction. Soon all the boys were inhaling their food.

"Guys!" Lydia hollered. They all stopped mid-bite. "I know that this is literally a pack of hungry wolves, but you can still use table manners." She fussed at them. They all, including John, ducked their heads and took their elbows off the table. They all ate much slower after that, actually tasting the food.

"Thank you for dinner, Derek," Lydia thanked their host. "It's delicious." She meant it, but she was also trying to remind the others to thank him as well. She shook her head as they all repeated after her with their mouths' full. It was a start, she supposed, smiling ruefully.

After dinner, homework was finished up while John and Jordan were caught up on what had happened that day. Before long Derek hit a light switch and a projector screen dropped down out of the ceiling. He didn't have a television because he had a projector. John claimed one end of the couch, Jordan and Lydia claimed the other end. The rest piled in all of the blankets and pillows that everyone brought. And, yes, Stiles talked them in to watching Star Wars. They all groaned about it, but no one actually minded.

Derek was propped up on a bunch of pillows and Stiles was using his stomach as a pillow. Not really paying attention Derek started rubbing Stiles back absently. Brett and Liam were in pretty much the same position with Liam using Brett's stomach as his pillow. Ethan and Mason were both on their backs in between the others. Everyone was touching, but no one was really paying much attention to it other than to notice how comforting and peaceful it felt.

About half way through the movie there was a knock on the door. Derek paused the movie as Ethan got up to turn the lights back on. Derek wandered over to the door and slid it open. On the other side of the door were four people none of them had ever seen before; one girl and three guys.

"Derek?" The girl asked looking around the room.

"Yeah," he stepped in their line of sight. The power rolling off of the new group was palpable to the wolves who were all on their feet. Which instantly had the rest on their feet.

"You called me earlier," she informed him. He glared at each of the four new comers in turn then stepped back to allow them entrance. But one of them couldn't come in.

"Um . . ." the dark haired man sputtered. "Could someone invite me in please?" Derek just leveled a glare at him.

"Give me one reason why I should," Derek narrowed his now steel blue eyes at him.

"Because he's one of the good guys now," came the reply from the woman who'd just entered the loft. Derek and Ethan both raised an eyebrow at that.

"Let's start with introductions," the youngest of the new four interjected. "I'm Jeremy Gilbert," the young man pointed to himself. Then he motioned to the woman standing next to him. "This is Bonnie Bennett." He indicated the man that had entered with them. "That's Tyler Lockwood." And pointing toward the open door. "And that's Damon Salvatore."

"What are you?" Ethan asked bluntly, eyeing each of them speculatively.

"Rude, much?" Damon rolled his eyes at the blunt werewolf.

"You want in?" Derek growled.

Damon sighed and threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, fine. I'm a vampire." Ethan then looked toward Bonnie.

"I'm a witch," she waived, smiling. "Jeremey's a Hunter." Everyone stiffened at that. "And Tyler's a hybrid."

"Hybrid?" Stiles questioned. Tyler nodded. "Like a chimera?" Stiles raised an eyebrow at the young man. The wolves shifted and the two officers pulled out their guns.

"Uh . . ." Tyler looked around the room starting to freak out. Normally guns didn't faze him much but he could smell the wolfsbane bullets from halfway across the room. "A little help?" He stared at Bonnie.

"Not a chimera," she stated. "Part werewolf, part vampire." Noting that did little to comfort them she could only shrug her shoulders at her friend.

"How did you become a . . . hybrid?" Stiles asked, testing out the word. "It wasn't crazy scientists, was it?"

The newcomers looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "No," Tyler replied. "I was born a wolf and then got turned by a vampire. And no, that's not the whole story, but it's too complicated to get in to right this second."

"Sooo . . ." Stiles summarized. "Not a chimera?" Tyler shook his head.

"Not a chimera." He insisted.

The Beacon Hills group all let out a huge sigh of relief and all weapons, including fangs and claws, were put away.

"Great," Damon spoke from the doorway. "Now that that's settled, will someone please invite me in?" He was getting both frustrated and insulted at being left in the hallway. Although, seeing their reaction to Tyler he had to admit that he may have been safer where he was.

Derek glanced at Stiles who only hesitated slightly before nodding. "Fine," Derek growled. "Come in." Damon sauntered in to the loft.

"Thank you." He looked around. "Nice place," he said being serious. He liked it.

"Thanks," Derek answered.

"So," Jeremy spoke again. "We've introduced ourselves. Could you all tell us who you are?"

Stiles took a step forward, almost tripping in the blankets. That caused Derek to roll his eyes and Ethan and John to chuckle.

"I'm Stiles Stilinski," he offered his hand to Jeremy. "I'm human. As is my dad," he pointed to John. "Sheriff John Stilinski, and Mason Hewitt." Stiles indicated the young teen. Then he motioned to others in turn, "Derek Hale, werewolf; Ethan Carver, werewolf; Brett Talbot, werewolf; Liam Dunbar, werewolf; Lydia Martin."

"Let me guess," Damon interrupted. "Werewolf?"

"Banshee," Stiles glared at the vampire triumphantly. "And Jordan Parrish, Hellhound."

After a moment of silence Damon was the first to speak. "First off, there are waaaay too many werewolves for my comfort. Second, what is a banshee? And third, what the hell is a hellhound?"

"I figured if anyone was familiar with banshees and hellhounds it would be the walking dead," Stiles snarked.

"That's un-dead, thank you very much." Damon rolled his eyes. "And why would I be familiar with them?"

"Banshee," Lydia recited. "Or the Wailing Woman screams when someone's about to die. And Hellhounds are bringers of death and guardians of the supernatural."

"Ah," Damon nodded uncomfortably. "I can see why you might think I'd be aware of them."

"I have a question," Tyler asked looking around the room. "How did you wolves shift when it's not the full moon? How did you do that partial shift?" The wolves in question all looked at each other and then at Derek.

"Why don't we all go have a seat?" he indicated the large kitchen table. The Mystic Falls four-some sat on one side of the long table and the Beacon Hills group sat squished together on the other side.

"In answer to your question Tyler," Derek began once there were all seated. "I believe that we may be a different breed or off shoot."

"Huh?" was Stiles eloquent response. Derek laughed.

"Do you only turn on the full moon?" Derek asked Tyler.

"When I was just a werewolf, yes." He explained. "On the full moon I'd turn in to a full wolf, fur and all. It was excruciating. It would literally break every bone in my body in order to allow it to heal in wolf form." The four wolves cringed. "But as a hybrid I can turn, or not turn, at will. Still hurts like hell if I do decide to turn."

"Interesting," Derek acknowledged. "Only a few of our kind can shift in to full wolf form. What you saw earlier is usually the extent of our shifts. The full moon affects us, meaning it's harder to control our wolf side, but it don't control us." Tyler looked intrigued.

"As interesting as this isn't," Damon cut it. "Does anyone have anything to drink?" At the sound of all the chairs across from him sliding back slightly her rolled his pale blue eyes. "Oh get over yourselves," he huffed. "I meant alcohol." While the others relaxed their posture a little Derek got up and walked in to the kitchen with the vampire behind him.

"What's your poison?" the wolf asked. Damon raised his eyebrow. "And you wonder why _we're_ on edge when you freak out at a question like that." Derek retorted.

"Right," Damon admitted. "Something strong. As long as it's wet and goes down smooth I'm not picky." There was a snort of laughter from the table.

"Ethan," growled Derek. Ethan looked up at him with extra innocent eyes.

"Yes, Derek?" He grinned. Derek rolled his eyes.

"Keep it in your pants." The older wolf huffed. Ethan just laughed out loud. Damon was lost until he thought back over what he'd said. He didn't know that he could still blush. Wow. Interesting.

"Oh my god!" Stiles dropped his forehead on the table with a loud bang. "I can never un-hear that." That had everyone around the table chuckling, including the group from Mystic Falls.

"So," Bonnie asked with a smile now on her face. "You called me." She spoke to Derek when he sat back down and started rubbing Stiles' back. "What can I do for you?"

"Well," he began. "Due to some recent events, these kids have lost their alpha wolf. And without an alpha they become omegas, lone wolves. In our society that's a very dangerous thing to be. It's one thing for Ethan and I to choose the life of an omega, it's a different thing for the pups to have it thrust on them." Bonnie and Tyler nodded their understanding. "Ethan and I went in search of Deaton to ask if there was a way to turn a former alpha back in to an active alpha."

"Former?" Jeremy asked.

"I used to be the alpha of my own pack. But my sister was poisoned and the only way to save her was with the extra healing power that come from being an alpha. Basically I drained enough of my wolf's battery to go from being an alpha to an omega." Derek explained.

"My twin brother and I used to be alphas too," Ethan said. Lydia and Mason both put their hands on his back in support. He hated to talk about Aiden. "But the Durach stole it from us and then he was killed."

"What's a Durach?" Tyler asked.

"A Dark Druid," Bonnie answered for them. Bonnie looked at the two former alphas. "So you both used to be alphas, but not of this pack. Correct?"

"Correct." They said in unison.

"Let me do some research," Bonnie said after thinking about it for a moment. "Will you all be okay for a day or so?"

"Yeah," Stiles spoke up as he lifted his head off the table. "The immediate threat has been dealt with, but seeing as the Dread Doctors are still out there it won't be long until they come for us."

"Dread Doctors?" Damon questioned. "Do I even want to ask?"

"Probably not," Lydia told him. "But that can be a story for another day."

Bonnie and her crew stood to leave. "I'm glad you called Derek," she said as she shook his hand. "Between all of us we'll get this sorted out."

Derek walked the group to the door. "Thank you for getting here so quickly. You have my number. Call if you all need anything."

He closed the door behind them and turned around to find the "pack" had followed him in to the front room and were now staring at him.

"What?" He asked concerned.

Leave it to Mason to sum the evening up in one word. "Intense."

Part 13

It was late after the guests had left so instead of finishing the movie they decided it was time to go to sleep. Derek offered John his bed as he'd planned on sleeping downstairs with everyone else. John smiled, hugged the wolf and made his way up the spiral staircase.

They all took turns changing in to their pajamas before collapsing in the pile of pillow, blankets, and bodies. The bodies weren't tucked together as tightly as they were the night before, but they were all within arms' reach of each other. Derek turned out the lights and was the last one to lay down.

Brett was laying on his back with Mason and Liam deciding to use him as their personal body pillows. He had one on each side of him snuggled up along his sides, with their heads on his shoulders. This was something that he could definitely get used to. He'd been friends with Liam back before Liam was expelled. They were . . . frenemies, he'd thought was the right word. They were friends, but they were also each other's arch rival and biggest challenger, especially when it came to lacrosse. Brett, even before he acknowledged to himself his lack of sexual preference, had been attracted to Liam. And Liam had always been more open about touching than most other boys. But now that Liam understood why, and had been validated that it was normal, he was even more open about it. Not that Brett was going to complain about it. Not in the least.

While he had one arm wrapped around Mason's waist, the other was rubbing up and down Liam's back. He'd occasionally stop to play with the hair at the nape of the shorter boy's neck before returning to his back. In return, Liam was rubbing his fingertips on Brett's chest, above his heart. Brett doubted that Liam even realized he was doing it. Brett fell asleep feeling more content than he had in a long time.

Derek heard the heartrates and breathing of the others around him slow down as they drifted off to sleep. He had too much on his mind still. He was trying to understand why Stiles' hug earlier affected him so much. But the more he thought about it the more confused he got. All the while Stiles laid next to him wiggling around trying to get comfortable, even though he was already asleep. So Derek slid one arm under his neck and the other around Stiles' waist and pulled him closer to the oldest wolf. Stiles instantly settled down with his head on Derek's arm, spooned up against him. Derek didn't want to think about the fact that his own wolf instantly settled down as well.

Liam's heart was pounding against Brett's ribs. It was so hard and so fast that it woke him up. The smaller wolf was obviously having a nightmare if the sweat covered body was any indication. Brett started rubbing his back trying to get Liam to calm down.

"No!" Liam yelled out in his sleep. Brett didn't know what to do. He unwound himself from Mason and wrapped both arms around Liam. He began whispering in his ear trying to soothe him but it wasn't working.

"Leave them alone!" Brett could hear and feel the others wake up at this yell. He even heard John come partway down the stairs. Derek waved John off letting the older man know that it was under control.

Seeing that it was a nightmare and not a physical threat, the older two wolves scooter closer so that they could touch the young pup. Soon, all of them had a hand on Liam, trying to reassure him silently.

"NO!" He woke up panting. He tried to disentangle himself from Brett's arms but the taller wolf wouldn't let got. Liam gave in and laid his head back on Brett's chest. At least until he smelt the blood. He pulled his head back.

"Brett," Liam hissed. "Oh my god! I am so sorry. I didn't mean to!" Brett rubbed Liam's back trying to reassure him.

"I'm fine." Brett told him. "It's just a few scratches. They're almost healed." He took of his t-shirt and wiped away the remaining blood. He was right. The marks were only welts now and even those were fading. "No harm done." Brett tossed the bloodied shirt toward the kitchen then pulled Liam's head back down to his now-healed chest.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly. Liam shrugged. He knew that talking about it might help, but he didn't want to seem like he was afraid of everything.

"Berserkers?" Derek asked quietly. Liam nodded.

"Partially," he admitted.

"Those things freak me the fuck out," Derek confessed. "I still have occasional nightmares about them."

"You do?" Liam asked in a small voice.

"Hell yeah, I do." Derek said. "I bet all of us here that's faced one still has nightmares about them."

"I do," piped up Mason.

"Me too," added Lydia.

"Definitely," admitted Jordan.

Brett squeezed tighter as Derek continued. "Don't ever be embarrassed about your nightmares. Because if they scare you they probably scare all of us." Liam nodded in understanding. "Hell, I still have nightmare about Ethan here." Derek chuckled, pushing Ethan with his foot.

"Me?" Ethan ask innocently. "What did I do?"

"You hosted a rave in my loft, you dufus," Derek said grinning.

"Oh yeah," Ethan reminisced. He looked up at Liam. "That was me."

They all laughed and laid their heads back down. Liam snuggled deeper, if that was possible, in to Brett's arms. He felt safe there. Like nothing could get him. It also helped to know that he wasn't the only one that had nightmares. That made him feel normal. And that was a good thing.

Part 14

Breakfast was a rambunctious affair. Derek and Stiles were the first ones awake so they started cooking eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast for everyone. A fresh pot of coffee was waking the others up. People staggered in for the coffee and then Lydia was the first to go get ready for the day while the guys all sat around yawning.

No one talked about Liam's nightmare. It wasn't that they were trying to pretend that it hadn't happened, it was more that they felt like it had been addressed last night. Especially since it hadn't happened again. Liam looked a little better this morning too. As if he'd slept better than he had in some time. And Derek thought that if the kid had been keeping those kind of intense nightmares to himself he probably did sleep better knowing that he wasn't alone. Not physically alone, and not in the way of being the only suffering from the nightmares.

Lydia came back to the kitchen just as Stiles was setting plates full of bacon and sausage on the table. Brett and Mason had set the table and Liam was pouring orange juice for everyone. Derek brought over two plates full of scrambled eggs and set them on either end of the table. As he sat down everyone started talking and passing plates. It didn't take long for plates to be piled high with food and for it to start being inhaled.

"Uuhhmm," Lydia cleared her throat loudly. When they looked at her confused she just smiled and said, "Manners." They rolled their eyes, but complied. All elbows were off the table and napkins were in their laps. She laughed to herself, 'if I'm going to end up being the mom of this bunch then they will at least have good manners so that they can attract respectable partners.'

The laughter and talking picked up again. John looked around the table and smiled. 'This is what's it's supposed to be like,' he thought to himself. 'I could get used to this.' Apparently Derek was on the same wavelength.

"I had an idea," Derek told the table at large.

"Did it hurt?" Asked Stiles around the toast in his mouth. Derek just reached over and smacked him upside the back of the head. Softly.

"Twit," he replied laughing. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Derek smirked at Stiles who just grinned back. "I own this entire building. Its got, what, ten floors? We could easily turn this in to a home away from home for everyone. They could have their own room. We could build a huge pit for . . . what did Ethan call them . . . puppy piles." He looked around the table to gauge their responses. "What do you think?"

"Hell yeah!" Stiles was the first to comment.

"I'm in," John said. "I know I'm the old man, but I'd still like to be a part of this if you'll have me."

Stiles was the first one on his feet. He wrapped his arms around his dad's shoulders from behind and rested his chin on his dad's shoulder. "Of course we want you." The others nodded. "You're Dad." Stiles grinned as he turned his head to look at his dad. "What? You think I'm the only one here who wants to claim you as Dad? I don't think so. You officially belong to all of us. From now on you're just Dad." Stiles gave his dad a big squeeze and then went to sit back down.

He hadn't even made it to his chair before both Lydia and Liam were out of theirs. Before John knew it he was in the middle of a family hug. He didn't mean for it to happen, but he could feel the tears running down his face. 'Maybe they weren't the only ones that were broken,' he thought to himself. They all settled back down in to their chairs and finished eating.

John looked at Derek. "What do you have in mind to work on first?" Derek seemed to think about it for a few minutes.

"Probably the pit so we're not always sleeping on the floor," he decided.

"Sounds like a plan," the sheriff agreed. "I've got some vacation time saved. I wouldn't mind helping out."

"I'd really like that . . . Dad," Derek grinned at the sheriff who just beamed back at him.

"Oooh, me too, me too," Ethan and Stiles said in unison. Everyone laughed.

"Stiles you have school," John reminded his son.

"What about me?" Brett spoke up. "I don't know what I want to do about school."

"Have you talked to your alpha?" John asked. Brett shook his head.

"I'll take you over to talk with Satomi today if you'd like Brett," Derek offered. Brett perked up and nodded.

"Whoever's riding with me, I'm leaving in ten minutes," Lydia announced as she got up from the table. The other three that would need a ride jumped up to hurry and get dressed. She just smiled and shook her head as she collected dishes to take in to the kitchen.

"Thank you for breakfast, Derek," Lydia walked over and kissed him on the cheek. "And thanks for letting us all invade." She smiled at him.

She walked behind Jordan and kissed him on the side of his neck. "Are you going to walk me down to my car?" She whispered in his ear. He nodded furiously as he sprang up from the table. The remaining four men chuckled.

"Somebody's whipped," Ethan said as he leaned back in his chair.

"You know she hasn't been with anyone since Aiden, don't you?" Derek asked the twin. Ethan set all four legs of the chair back on the ground.

"No," Ethen shook his head. "I didn't know." He watched her with Jordan as they walked out the door.

"Aiden's death hit her pretty hard," Derek told him. "She never really talked about it, but it changed her."

"I noticed that she was different," Ethan admitted. "But I didn't know that was why." A lone tear ran down his cheek. Derek reached out and put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You two should talk sometime," Derek suggested as he stood up.

A few minutes later Brett and Derek stood in the kitchen cleaning all of the breakfast dishes while Ethan cleaned up the table. John came back now that he was dressed in his uniform.

"You guys have a good day," John said as he headed toward the sliding door of the loft. "I'll see you tonight."

"Bye Dad!" echoed throughout the loft as the three wolves sang out at the same time.

As John opened the door he was startled by the quartet of people standing there. "Morning," he greeted. "They're in the kitchen." He waved them in as he headed off to the station.

"Come on in," Derek hollered from the other room. "There's still some breakfast left if you're hungry."

"Thanks," replied Bonnie. "But we're good." The four sat at the table anyway so that they could talk to the three wolves. 

"I didn't expect to see you guys again so soon," Derek said as he and Brett were drying and putting away the dishes.

"I have some answers," Bonnie told him. "But I also have to ask if I can have access to other information." Before her statement could be clarified the front door slid open.

"Derek!" The new arrival called.

"In the kitchen," the former alpha replied. Around the corner sauntered Isaac. He stopped the instant he laid eyes on Ethan.

"Him?" He directed his question to Derek but never took his eyes off of Ethan.

"Him?" Ethan lazily pointed a finger toward Isaac. He also directed his question to Derek.

Brett looked back and forth between the two older wolves while Derek just let out a long-suffering sigh. "Ooh, tension," Brett joked. "Is this the 'I want to rip your face off' kind or the 'I want to rip your clothes off' kind?" Damon laughed at the amused look on the teen's face.

"Is there a difference?" The vampire asked. Brett tilted his head as he pretended to think about it.

"Not in this house." The two joked.

"I like you, kid," Damon told Brett, whose reply was a wide grin.

Derek was still looking back and forth between Ethan and Isaac, having tried to ignore the comments from the peanut gallery. "Guys," he tried to sound calm. "We're all on the same side now." They both broke eye contact with each other in order to stare at him like he'd lost his mind. "We're all here to help keep the pups safe. Remember?" He glared each of them in to submission.

"Fine," they both grumbled.

That settled, at least for the moment, Derek turned back to the witch. "What information did you need access too?"

She looked up at him with a slightly uncomfortable look on her face. "I need to talk to an alpha." She wasn't sure if that was something of a taboo subject or what the social norms of their society were.

"Oh," Derek breathed out in relief. "Is that all?" She nodded. "I've got to take Brett over to see his alpha today anyway. You could come with us if you'd like." She nodded enthusiastically.

Isaac sat down at the table with his now food laden plate. "Who are you people?" he bluntly asked.

"I'm Bonnie," she began. "This is Damon, Jeremy, and Tyler." She pointed to each one as she said their name.

"What are you?" He asked around a mouth full eggs. He didn't understand the knowing grins that were being passed around the room, nor why Ethan now had his head down. And why did Brett and Damon just fist bump each other? Isaac was confused.

"Sorry," Damon cleared his throat. "She's a witch," he pointed to Bonnie. "Jer is a Hunter." When Isaac tensed up Damon was quick to clarify, "Not that kind. He only hunts vampires." Isaac relaxed slightly. "Tyler is a hybrid – part werewolf, part vampire. And I'm a vampire."

"That explains why it smells like a rotting corpse in here," Isaac mumbled as he continue to inhale his food.

"Isaac," Derek growled in annoyance.

"What? It does." The teen defended himself.

"I really hate to agree with him," said Ethan. "But he's right. It does." He nodded his head.

"I know that," Derek bit out. "But it's still rude to say it." Apparently Lydia's lessons in manners were starting to rub off on him.

Damon and Tyler just looked shocked. They sniffed at themselves. "I do not smell like a corpse," Damon stated firmly.

"Sorry," Brett spoke up. "But you do." He pointed to Tyler. "His wolf side covers most of his smell but he does too a little."

"Really?" Tyler asked. "How have I never noticed?"

"You're probably used to it," Jeremy offered. "I know the specific twitch I get when you or Damon walk in to a room, but I'm so used to it that I don't pay any attention to it anymore." The hunter shrugged as if that explained everything.

"Hmm." Came the reply from both vampires.

"Who's Pretty Boy?" Isaac asked looking up at Brett.

"You never met Brett?" Derek asked confused. Isaac shook his head. "This is Brett Talbot. He's one of our pups. He's in an allied pack but he's part of this family." Isaac nodded his head in understanding. Since Scott and Derek were never in the same pack he got how someone could be in one pack but still hang out with another pack.

Once he was finished eating he asked the one question he'd been wanting to know since he got the text from Derek to get back to Beacon Hills asap. "So why am I here?" Isaac directed his question to Derek but then looked around the room hoping that anyone would answer.

"Scott went off the deep end," Ethan spoke first. "He tried to kill his own beta, Brett, and a human member of his pack."

Isaac's jaw dropped. Almost a minute ticked by before anyone said anything. "Isaac?" Derek ventured.

The tall blonde shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Sorry. I'm just having a tough time wrapping my head around that." He looked up at Derek as if to ask if this was real. Seeing Derek's nod he just shook his head in disbelief as he stared off in to space. "I lived with the guy. I would never have seen this coming."

"He's been handled," Ethan informed him quietly but firmly.

"And by handled do you mean that you killed him?" Isaac glared at the twin.

"No," Ethan all but yelled. "Derek exiled him." Isaac's gazed shifted to his former alpha.

"It's true." Derek confirmed. "Ethan didn't kill anyone. I exiled Scott and Malia." 

"Malia?" Isaac was confused. "The werecoyote?" He remembered when they helped Scott change her back to human. But that was the last he remembered hearing of her.

"She and Stiles were together," Derek had come over to the table and sat across from his former beta.

"So wait," he interrupted. "Stiles' best friend and Stiles' girlfriend attacked Scott's beta and two other pup?" He saw nods from around the table. "Scott almost tried to kill you because he thought you were mistreating your own betas." He said to Derek. "Why on earth would he try to kill his own? And how is Stiles?"

"Theo," was Brett's reply to the first question.

"Crappy," Ethan answered the second one.

"Theo?" Isaac thought for a moment. "As is Theo Raeken?" They all nodded slightly intrigued that Isaac knew the guy. "Last time I saw him was fourth grade." 

"He managed to twist Scott's head around," Derek informed him. He looked at the clock. "Tell you what," he said as he stood. "I've got to take Brett and Bonnie to see Satomi. These guys can fill you in on everything while we're gone."

Ethan nodded as Derek continued. "And you two," he pointed between the two wolves. "Try not to kill each other while I'm gone." He picked up his keys as he headed toward the door. "Ethan I'll text you when we know something and then we can meet at Dad's."

"Kay," Ethan agreed as Derek, Brett, and Bonnie closed the door behind them.

"Dad? Who's Dad?"

"Brett, calm down," Derek put his hand on the beta's knee to keep it from vibrating. "You're making the entire car shake." Once the movement stopped Derek removed his hand. Bonnie was sitting in the back of Derek's Charger since she had the shortest legs.

"I don't even know why I'm nervous." Brett shrugged his shoulders. He started playing with the hem of his shirt.

"You're going to be fine, Brett," Derek reassured the young beta. "The only one of us that has anything to be nervous about it me. So take a deep breath and calm down." They pulled in to park. Derek turned off the car and turned to face Brett. "That's it. Just breathe." Once the teen's heart rate settled down a little Derek got out of the car. Brett got out and then helped Bonnie out of the back.

"What do you have to be nervous about?" Bonnie asked Derek as they walked in the front door.

"This is Hale territory," he informed her. "Anything that happens on it is ultimately my responsibility. Therefore what happened to Brett is my responsibility." Bonnie's eyes got big as began to understand that these wolves were a lot different than the ones she was used to. They had a lot more rules.

"Brett!" A cute blond girl that looked to be about twelve came running up to the tall wolf. He bent down and swept her up in a big hug. He spun her in circles making her giggle and Derek and Bonnie smile.

"Lor," Brett smiled as he set her back on her feet. "I've missed you kiddo." He took her left hand in his and turned to introduce her to his companions. "Do you remember Derek Hale?" He asked her she nodded.

"I don't think we were ever properly introduced," Derek stepped forward and offered her his hand to shake. "I'm Derek Hale. And you are?"

"Lorilee Rohr," she replied as she shook the larger wolf's hand. "I'm Brett's little sister." Bonnie grinned as she stepped forward.

"I'm Bonnie Bennett." She shook the young girl's hand as well.

"Where's Satomi?" Brett asked his little sister.

"In her parlor," she said as she pulled Brett behind her and further in to the house. Derek and Bonnie followed the siblings. They stopped when they got to the open door. Derek, and Brett immediately bowed respectfully to the alpha. Not sure of the protocol Bonnie ducked her head in respect.

"Please, come in," Satomi motioned for them to join her. Lorilee sat next to her alpha and her brother sat next to her. Derek and Bonnie sat on the small couch across the low table from her. "Tea?" The alpha offered.

"Please," Derek smiled. They were quiet as Satomi prepared tea for each of them. After the first sip Derek set his cup back down on its saucer. "I have come to beg your forgiveness." He bowed his head and would not meet the eyes of the alpha.

"What has happened that you need my forgiveness?" She asked in her quiet way.

"I left someone that I thought I could trust in charge of protecting Beacon Hills while I was away," Derek told her, still not looking up at her. "But I was mistaken in my trust and your beta was threatened and hurt in my absence."

Her eyes widened for only a fraction of a second then she looked over to Brett who ducked his head. "Who is this person?" Though her voice was soft there was steel behind it.

"Scott McCall," Derek admitted. "I should have come to you sooner but my first priority was to make sure all the pups were safe and then to make sure that the trespass had been dealt with."

"And has it?" She demanded.

"Because of his past help in protecting the community I allowed him his life, but he has been exiled. Never to return upon pain of death." His head stayed bowed. Satomi was quiet for a moment as she looked over to her beta. Brett met her eyes and nodded.

"Very well," she said. "Forgiveness granted." Derek's shoulders slumped in relief as he looked up at the elder. Bonnie suddenly realized that this could've gone very, very badly. Relief washed over her that it hadn't.

"Thank you, Satomi." He offered a grateful smile. She nodded her head in acceptance.

"I feel this is not the only reason that you are here today." It was not a question.

"I don't know what to do about school," Brett spoke up. "I like my school and I like the lacrosse team. But after this weekend it's very lonely and . . . I'm . . . afraid." His sister took one of his big hands in both of her smaller ones. That made him feel better about admitting his fear, so he continued on. "I like the idea of transferring to be with the others so I'm not alone, but then I won't be able to play lacrosse the rest of the year." He shook his head. "I know it's just a stupid sport, but it helps me vent my aggression."

Satomi reached out her hand and set it on her beta's shoulder. "If it is important to you then it is not stupid." She smiled at him and he softly smiled back. "However, this may be a good time to discuss something with you and your sister." She had both hands back in her lap as she looked over the brother and sister sitting next to her. "With most of our pack wiped out during the dead pool and the Nematon being reactivated this place is no longer safe for us. I am taking the pack and we will be leaving Beacon Hills." Brett and Lorilee instantly had tears in their eyes. He reached forward and pulled his sister back against him.

"I had been hoping that Scott would be willing to allow you two in to his pack until you both finished school." She hung her head in regret. "But, alas, that is not to be. I now have no choice but to bring you with us." They knew she always wanted them with her, but that she had been willing to let them stay for their teen years.

"Actually," Bonnie spoke up for the first time. "That's why I'm here." Satomi tilted her head as she assessed the young woman in front of her.

"You are no wolf," Satomi stated.

"You're right. But he is," she pointed to Derek. Satomi looked back and for between the two.

"But he is not an alpha," she said. "He can make no claim on them."

"He used to be an alpha," Bonnie replied. "I think I can help him become one again. But I'd need your help."

Satomi thought for a moment as she looked in to the young faces of her betas. "What can I do?"

"May I touch your hand?" Bonnie asked respectfully. "I need to be able to feel the difference between your alpha and Derek's current state so that I can help his wolf remember how to be an alpha." The witch explained.

"Are you an emissary?" The elder asked.

Bonnie shook her head. "No. Alan Deaton is my fourth cousin. Several generations back there was a schism in our family about how to help the supernatural. Some chose the path of the druids and some chose the path of the witch. I'm one of those witches."

Satomi seemed to think about that for another moment. "If it will help protect these young ones then I'll do what I can to help." She held out her hand.

Bonnie got up and walked around to the end of the table so that she knelt between Satomi and Derek. She gently touched the elder's hand, and was startled at the raw power that she felt there. She then reached out her other hand and touched Derek's hand. There was power there too, but nothing like Satomi. Understanding that the difference could also have to do with age and temperament and any other number of factors she mentally made a note of the difference and delved deeper in to Satomi's energy toward her wolf.

The image appeared as a large wolf in a cage that was nearly too small to hold it. Definitely too small to be comfortable. Bonnie then searched Derek for the same place inside him. His wolf was smaller and there was room to spare in the cage. But she could see the ghost of an outline of where his alpha wolf used to be. So then, how to get his to grow?

She imagined herself reaching toward the cage the held Derek's wolf. It padded over to her and sniffed at her hand. She saw a white light leave her hand and enter the wolf. It seemed to float in the air as it struggled and groaned against the light. But she could sense that it was working. It was getting larger.

Bonnie removed her had from Satomi and placed both hands on Derek's hand as she reconnected to his wolf. Her physical ears could hear his groans of discomfort but she continued on. She kept directing the light in to the wolf. Occasionally, she'd envision that the light was red since she'd been told that that's what color an alpha's eye were. She continued until she felt herself start to drain of energy. She pictured the wolf back on its feet. It was bigger than it had been. There was no denying it. It was only about halfway to where it needed to be though.

She withdrew from Derek's energy and sank to the floor. He opened his eyes to look at her. There was an obvious difference. They weren't red yet, but they were no longer blue. Instead they were a vivid purple; halfway between the two shades. He looked up at Satomi who stared in awe. Brett and Lorilee were also stunned.

"It is possible," Satomi whispered more to herself than to anyone in the room. She glanced over to her two betas and then back to the now violet-eyed wolf across from her.

"If, once the transformation is complete, you will allow them into your pack long enough to finish their schooling then they may stay here with you. With my blessing. Assuming it is their choice to do so." Derek nodded.

"They will always be welcome with me and I will extend my protection to them, regardless of their pack affiliation." He bowed his head slightly in respect but his eyes never left hers.

"I'd like to stay." Brett spoke softly. "I'm almost done with high school and all of my friends are here." He looked at his alpha pleading for her to understand that he didn't want to leave her. She smiled a motherly smile at him and touched his cheek.

"You both will always be a part of my pack and a part of my heart. No matter where you live." She used her free hand to cup the young girl's cheek as well. "I will support whatever choice you make, little one."

Lorilee looked back and forth between her brother and her alpha. Her brother puller her in to his lap. "You don't have to decide right this second Lor," he told her. "This is a huge decision. But if you do choose to stay, you and I already have a place to live." Brett glanced over to Derek to make sure that he hadn't over stepped his bounds. Derek nodded once in agreement.

"I don't want to leave you Satomi," the young girl said quietly. "But I don't want to leave my brother." She clung to her big brother, who wrapped his long arms around her and held on as tightly as was comfortable for her.

"Young one," Satomi spoke softly. "I would chose my big brother too." She smiled knowingly at the young girl who smiled back. She crawled out of Brett's lap and stepped over and wrapped her alpha in a hug.

"And Brett," Satomi turned her head toward the tall beta. "You can always find another outlet for your aggression but you can't find another family." She smiled knowingly at him. He blushed and ducked his head.

Derek looked Satomi in the eye when she turned her gaze to him. He placed his hand over his heart as he spoke. "I will protect them with my life, as if they were my own flesh and blood. This I swear to you."

She nodded in response. "I know you will."

"Go pack an overnight bag," Brett told his sister. "I want you to meet the rest of our new family." She squealed and ran off toward her room.

"When will you leave?" Derek asked Satomi while they waited.

"Within the week." Brett's eyes got big. He thought he'd have more time to say goodbye. He stood up and walked to his room to pack more clothes not knowing what to say to that revelation.

"This will be hard on him," she said to Derek.

"We'll make sure they're both loved and safe," he replied. Bonnie eagerly nodded her head in agreement.

Within minutes they were in the Charger and plans had been made to meet up with the others at the Sheriff's Station.

Part 15

Derek kept his sunglasses on when they four walked in to the Sheriff's station. He hadn't been able to get his eyes to go back to their human color. Bonnie had said that it was probably just his body trying to adjust to the changes. And he could feel other changes too. He felt more like himself than he had in some time. He felt stronger, more powerful, and more in tune with his surroundings.

John was behind his desk leaning back in his chair as he chatted with Ethan, Isaac, Damon, Tyler, and Jeremy. When Derek's car full walked in to the office Ethan got up and stuck his head out the door.

"J!" He hollered at Jordan across the room where he was standing by a filing cabinet. The deputy made his way in to the room and closed the door behind him. Derek took off his sunglasses and they all, except those from his car, gasped in surprise.

"They're purple," Isaac breathed out.

"Thank you Captain Obvious," Ethan retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Hey," Isaac defended himself. "I just got here a few hours ago and I'm still trying to process everything. Alright?" He threw his hands up in the air.

"Boys?" John made it sound like he was asking if there was going to be some sort of problem.

"Sorry, Dad." Ethan mumbled. Derek couldn't help but grin at that.

"Yeah, sorry." Isaac had just met the man and wasn't ready to start calling him Dad.

"Thank you," John responded. He looked up at Derek. "So what's it mean?"

Bonnie answered. "He's about half way to being an alpha again." She informed them. "I'm too wiped to do more today. Besides, it's probably better to let him get accustomed to a little at a time anyway."

"And Satomi's moving her pack out of Beacon Hills," Derek informed them. John and Ethan immediately looked to Brett.

"It's okay," he assured them. "Lor and I get to stay since Derek's going to be alpha and take us in." It was bittersweet, they all knew. "Speaking of," Brett pulled his sister out from behind him. "This is my little sister Lorilee Rorh."

"You mean OUR little sister, don't you?" Ethan grinned. Lorilee blushed.

"Yes, Ethan," Brett answered dryly. "Our little sister. She's twelve. Lor," Brett continued. "This is part of our new family. "That's Ethan," he pointed who and what each person was. "He's a werewolf like us. So's Isaac. Damon is a vampire, Tyler is part werewolf and part vampire, Jeremy is a vampire hunter, and John is human. We all just call him Dad." He tickled her ribs as he said the last part.

She giggled more at her silly brother than the tickling. "Hi," she waved at everyone.

"I'm going to be transferring schools," Brett announced randomly. He hadn't even realized that he'd made his decision. But something about sitting in that room with the others and he just knew that he needed to be with the rest of his pack.

"You need help with getting everything situated?" John offered.

Damon stood up. "I got this," he raised his hand slightly and started walking toward the door. "Come on Pretty Boy." Brett just shook his head at the nickname. He kissed Lorilee on the head.

"Stay with Bonnie. I'll be back soon. Love you."

"Are you sure about this?" John asked Bonnie as the Damon and Brett left the office.

"He's probably the best one to handle it, actually." She told him. Tyler and Jeremy looked unhappily convinced. They didn't like the fact that he was, but he really was.

"Okay, then," he reluctantly let agreed. John looked up at Derek. "I've managed to schedule Parrish and myself off the rest of the week so that we can help at the loft."

"Sweet," Derek smiled.

"You holding up okay?" Damon asked Brett as they entered the high school.

Brett shrugged his shoulders. "Been better, been worse."

"Don't I know it, kid," Damon thought the teen was keeping a good head on his shoulders considering everything that was going on around him. The two walked in to the school's administration office.

"May I help you?" The secretary asked.

"Yes, ma'am," Damon spoke for the two. "My nephew is going to be moving in with me, since his foster family is moving out of Beacon Hills. So I need to get him transferred to this school." Brett looked at the floor. He wasn't sure if he was going to cry at the thought of the others leaving or laugh at Damon's explanation.

"I'll need this form filled out," she said as she reached in to a drawer in her desk. She handed the form to Damon, who slid it over to Brett without looking at it. "I'll also need to contact his foster parents and the foster care system to verify the information."

Brett looked up when he felt Damon move. The vampire was leaning over the counter toward the secretary who was looking directly in to his eyes as if she was in a trance.

"You do not need to contact anyone except his old school for his transcripts," Damon spoke slowly enunciating each word.

"I do not need to contact anyone," the secretary repeated in a trance-like tone.

"He will be able to pick up his class schedule from you before he starts school on Monday morning," Damon continued.

"Monday morning," she repeated.

Damon stood up straight as the secretary blinked rapidly. Brett hurried through the form before handing it back to the flustered woman.

"Thank you," Damon told her sincerely. "You have been most helpful." Damon took Brett's arm and led him out the office door.

Once they were far enough from the door that they wouldn't be heard Brett had to ask. "What was that?"

"That was Compulsion," Damon informed him. "We vampires are good for more than just smelling like rotting corpses." He winked and the tall wolf laughed. His first real laugh in what felt like ages.

The bell signaling the end of class rang while they were standing there, so Brett indicated to Damon to follow him. Brett led them to where he'd seen the others the day before.

"Brett!" He heard Mason yell down the hall. "Damon," the human greeted when he got closer to the duo.

"Hey Mase," Brett replied. "Where are the others? I have news."

Mason looked around the hall. "They should be around here somewhere." He still didn't see them, but he also didn't have Brett's height advantage.

"Here they come," Brett and Damon said at the same time. They just looked at each other and smiled.

"Hey guys," Brett greeted Lydia, Stiles, and Liam.

"Okay, we're all here," Mason interrupted the greetings. "What's the news?" They all looked at him expectantly.

"I start school here on Monday," he grinned.

"That's great," Stiles said as he hugged the taller teen.

"Oh, I'm excited," Lydia added when she hugged him.

"Now all the cool kids will be here," Mason joked, remembering his teasing from the day before.

"That great," Liam said.

"Then why do you sound so sad, Short Stack?" Brett looked down at his friend. He thought that Liam would be happy that he'd be there.

"I just feel bad that you won't get to play lacrosse the rest of the season," the smaller wolf said as he shrugged his shoulder. "I know how much playing means to you."

Brett couldn't help it. He grabbed Liam around the waist and lifted him up in a big hug. "I love the fact that your first thought was about me being able to play a sport that I like to play. Thank you, my friend."

Liam blushed as Brett set him back on his feet. Damon's head snapped around down the hall as he heard someone make a rude comment about Liam and Brett.

"I'll be right back," Damon stalked off.

"What's his problem?" Stiles asked as they all turned to watch the vampire pin two boys against the lockers. He got right in their faces and spoke so quietly that even Brett and Liam couldn't hear him.

"He heard those guys say something mean and he's going to make sure that they never do it again," Brett smirked. Yeah, he could get used to having the vampire around to watch their backs. Especially Liam's. Brett could let most things just go in one ear and out the other, but Liam tended to take things very personally.

"I didn't hear them," Liam looked up at Brett.

"They said it pretty quietly. I barely heard it and that was only because I was looking in their direction," Brett told him. Liam took Brett's hand to let him know that it would be okay. "Do you ever not think about others' feelings?" Seeing Liam's confused expression he explained. "That's twice in less than two minutes when you've been more worried about how something would affect me than how it would affect you."

Liam blushed and looked at his shoes. He just shrugged a shoulder as Damon sauntered back to them.

"That should take care of that," The vampire smirked.

"Do I want to know?" Stiles asked.

"Compulsion," Damon explained. "We vampires can get humans to do and think what we what them to if we try." Seeing their concerned looks he continued. "I try not to do it, but sometimes it needs to be done. And in this case it was either compel them to never do it again, or drain them where they stood." Damon shrugged. "I went with the less messy option."

Lydia just rolled her eyes. "Men," she sighed. "You're all the same. Regardless of breed." She shook her head in good humored disapproval. That got a chuckle out of the others.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Brett interrupted. "Lorilee is going to be staying with us now." Liam perked up.

"She is? That's great."

"Who's Lorilee?" Stiles, Lydia, and Mason all asked at the same time.

"She my twelve year old sister."

"We have a little sister?" Stiles asked.

"I have a little sister?" Lydia asked at the same time. Brett laughed and nodded. "Is she here?"

"Not at the high school," Brett told her. "But she's with Derek and Bonnie."

"Then why are we just standing here?" She asked them in all seriousness. She turned Brett and Damon around and had one hand tucked under a bicep of each one as she started leading them toward the exit.

"Lyds," Stiles yelled. "You're our ride."

"We'll make sure you get picked up," she yelled back. "You boys have a good rest of your day!"

Since Brett and Damon had walked from the Station to the high school Lydia drove the three of them to the loft. The first thing that they noticed when the elevator door opened at the top floor was the yelling. They hurried to the open door of Derek's loft. Isaac and Ethan were standing toe to toe with steel blue eyes staring daggers in to molten gold eyes.

Derek and Tyler were trying, unsuccessfully, to separate them. Bonnie had a Lorilee tucked behind her and Jeremy was trying to make sure that no one got near the girls.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Lydia yelled. All the occupants froze. The little girl saw her older brother and ran to him and he scooped her up in his arms.

Lydia crossed her arms across her chest. "Explain." No one said a word. "Now," she growled. Suddenly everyone was talking at once. She held up her hand and they all stopped. "Forget it! I don't want to hear it!" She turned to Brett and his sister, led them out the door before yelling back in to the loft, "You coming Bonnie?"

Bonnie didn't bother with words. She just grabbed her purse and took off after the angry banshee. Derek turned to look at the two younger wolves. If looks could kill they'd be dead right now, thought Damon.

"Do I dare ask what that was about? 

"These to. . ." Derek couldn't even calm down enough to explain it. So the vampire looked between Tyler and Jeremy.

"Tension," Tyler said succinctly, reiterating what Brett had said earlier about the two. "And I'm pretty sure that there is no difference." Tyler just rolled his eyes and shook his head as he walked over to the couch.

"And we might need to buy a measuring tape at the hardware store," Jeremy chimed in. "Just to put the issue to rest once and for all." Damon shook his head at his friends as he walked in to the kitchen and poured two glasses of whiskey. He handed one to Derek who drank the whole thing in one swallow.

"You were supposed to sip that," Damon whispered conspiratorially. "Not shoot it."

Derek slammed the glass on the counter. "I can't get drunk anyway," the werewolf said. "But I'm hoping that it will at least take the edge off enough so that I don't try to rip their throats out." Damon raised an eyebrow. "With my teeth." And that led Damon to shoot his whiskey.

"Is it always like this around here?" Damon asked the wolf.

"Those two have never really gotten along. They'd established a truce last time they were here, but I'm thinking that it may have ended." Derek pinched the bridge of his nose trying to hold back the headache. "A big part is the fact that there is no real alpha to call them on their shit. They know it will be me, but that leaves the spot for top beta, for lack of a better phrase, open. And they're trying to figure out which one of them it will be. Isaac thinks it should be him since he's the only beta of mine here. And Ethan thinks it should be him since he used to be an alpha." Derek refilled his and Damon's glasses. This time the wolf sipped the whiskey.

"Personally," Derek spoke a little louder to make sure that the other knew he was talking about them. "I'm thinking I'll let Tyler have the spot."

"What?" "That's not fair."

Tyler grinned at the quarreling wolves. "I'm only half a wolf and I'm still twice the wolf that either of you are," he goaded. "Ha!" It was a good thing that he had enhanced speed because Ethan and Isaac both came charging at him. He barely had time to dive off the couch before they landed in a heap directly on top of where he'd been sitting.

He ran out the front door and around the walkway to the other side of the floor. The two wolves were hot on his heels.

"Was that a good idea?" Jeremy walked in to the kitchen. He reached in to the fridge and pulled out a can of Dr. Pepper.

"They're not fighting with each other anymore. Are they?" Derek pointed out.

"But they're both after Tyler." Jeremy took a sip of his drink. "It's two against one."

"Three things," Said Derek. "One, being half vampire I have no doubt that Tyler can take care of himself. Two, they needed a reason to fight with each other instead of against each other. And three, they just really needed to blow off some steam. Even if it does come to blows with Tyler it will be nowhere near what they would do to each other. They might pick on him, but they'd beat the shit out of each other."

Jeremy and Damon thought about that logic for a minute before they heard Tyler. "Jer!" He sounded a little panicked but not really hurt. "A little help!" Jeremy just grinned before he set down the can and took off to help his friend.

Brett sat in the back of the car with his little sister pressed up against his side. "You okay kiddo?" She nodded.

"Yeah," she said.

"I'm sorry if those big, dumb wolves scared you," Lydia said from the front seat.

"They didn't," the youngest replied. "Not really. They were just arguing over who would be the better big brother."

Lydia let out a harsh laugh. "Of course they were." She just shook her head. "Well, I'm Lydia Martin," she told the girl. 

"Lorilee Rorh," came the reply.

"We're not all like those two," Lydia said. "They've just never really gotten along. And they're boys, so they're doubly stupid."

"Hey!" Brett protested. But not too much since his sister was giggling like the little girl she was.

"Who wants ice cream?" Lydia offered. With all of the affirmative responses she drove them to a little mom-and-pop ice cream parlor that she'd always loved.

They stayed for close to an hour before deciding it was probably safe to head back.

"Lor," Lydia said. The little girl met her eyes in the rear view mirror. "Since you, Bonnie, and I are the only girls we're going to have to stick together. Okay?" She winked at the little girl.

Lorilee grinned, rather evilly her brother thought, and nodded enthusiastically. Brett just groaned as he slunk lower in the seat.

"Is it safe to come in yet?" Lydia yelled as they stepped out of the elevator. Damon was standing in the open door so suddenly that all except Bonnie took a step back in surprise.

"You get used to it," Bonnie said in a stage whisper.

"For the moment," the vampire replied. "Derek got your text and just left to pick up the boys from school."

"Why do I smell blood?" Brett asked as they walked in to the loft. The four stopped in the doorway and stared at the sight in front of them. Tyler and Jeremy were sprawled on the couch. Jeremy had a split lip and Tyler had a black eye. But what had them frozen were the mangled and bloodied bodies of Ethan and Isaac on the floor. Black eyes, split lips, a few bones sticking out, at least a dozen broken ribs between them.

Lydia turned to glare at the two on the couch. "Um," Damon interrupted. "Ethan and Isaac started it. Tyler and Jeremey just ended it." Lydia looked back and forth between the guys. She stepped toward the bloodier duo.

"Why aren't you healing?" She asked them.

Her answer came from Damon. "Derek thought it would be a good lesson for them if they had to wait until he got back to ret set their bones." Lydia cocked her head to the side in thought.

"Okay," she shrugged and walked off. That had the two wolves whining even more. Brett just crouched down in front of them.

"That's what you get for scaring my little sister," he told them.

"OUR," Ethan repeated.

"Is that supposed to make it better or worse?" the younger wolf asked. The two wounded wolves hung their heads in shame, knowing that he was right. "I'll have her come talk to you after Derek lets you heal and you're not all bloody." Brett stoop up and walked to the dining room table to sit by the girls to wait for the others to get home.

"Where is she? Where is she?" Not sure which one of the boys spoke since both Liam and Stiles ran from the elevator to through the open door of the loft. Mason just rolled his eyes and laughed as he followed as a more reasonable speed. Derek chuckled and put his hand on Mason's shoulder as the wandered in to the front room.

Liam had picked up Lorilee and was spinning her in a circle. "I missed you kiddo," he told her. Back when he and Brett used to be tight, Liam had started to think of the girl as his own little sister. And now, here she was. She really was going to be their little sister.

"Move it," Stiles demanded. "It's my turn." Liam set her down only for her to be picked back up by Stiles. She just giggled.

He set her back down. "Sorry," he blushed. "I got a little excited. I'm Stiles Stilinski," he told her. "Oh," he waved toward the front door. "And that's Mason Hewitt. But it's more important that you know me." He winked at her, setting off another round of giggles.

Derek walked over to Ethan and Isaac crouched down in front of them. "Learned your lesson, yet?" They both nodded and ducked their heads. "Alright then. Liam, Brett. Come help out your brothers." Derek stood up and walked away as the two youngest wolves helped reset the broken bones of the two older wolves. Once the bones had been reset, the rest of their bodies started to heal themselves.

Derek had wandered in to the kitchen to see what he could make for dinner. Damon wandered in after him. "How come you had the pups do it?" The vampire was trying to understand the hierarchy and social structure of this new breed of wolves.

"Which one should I have helped first?" Derek asked in return. Derek saw the lightbulb go on for Damon.

"Ah," he nodded. "Smart."

Derek asked Damon to help him with dinner and two oldest members started cooking for their ever-growing family. It suddenly hit Derek that he had just automatically added the Mystic Falls four in to his family without even thinking about it. As he looked out across the loft, it seemed he wasn't the only one.

"Homework," Derek called from the kitchen. Liam, Mason, Stiles, and Lydia all brought over their books and started working. Brett had Lorilee in the front room with Tyler, Jeremy, and Bonnie. Ethan and Isaac had been excused, by Brett, to go get cleaned up so that they could apologize to their new little sister.

"I don't get this," Liam grumbled staring at his history book.

"What subject?" Derek asked as he peeled carrots.

"US History," came the unhappy response.

"Shoot," Damon said. "Who knows . . . I may have been there." He smirked. Liam lifted his head to stare at him.

"Um . . . okay," he said. "What legal action changed the entire tone of the 1920s?"

"Prohibition," Damon answered without missing a beat. "Nothing like the Roaring 20s."

"Where you actually around during the 20s?" Liam asked. The only answer he received from the vampire was his signature smirk.

"Yes," came Bonnie answer from the front room where she was cuddled up in to Jeremy's side. Damon just rolled his eyes.

"So much for an air of mystery Bon-bon." He teased his friend who just laughed in return.

"Math help," Mason piped up. Derek walked around to stand behind the young human and looked over his shoulder at the book.

"Which one?" Mason pointed to a problem on the page and then to his notebook. Derek looked back and forth between the two. "Oh, here." Derek pointed in the notebook. "You've got to remove this from both sides so it clears out."

"Thanks," Mason erased where he'd messed up and then started correcting the answer.

"You know," Damon leaned over to Derek. "I'm not real big on family bonding moments, seeing as my own family was severely dysfunctional," snorts of laughter could be heard from the couch. "No comments from the peanut gallery," he retorted, which just made them laugh harder. "Anyway," he turned back to the wolf. "I may not be much of a family person, but this is really cool. Totally something one could get used to." He bumped his shoulder against Derek's.

"Yeah," Derek agreed. "I already love it. Even you guys." He admitted to Damon who looked a little surprised. "I was counting the number of people in the family and realized that I had automatically counted you four."

Tyler wandered in having wanted to be a part of the conversation, but not wanting to yell across the room and disturb those doing homework. "None of us have had what you might call normal families. But this," he motioned around the room. "This is definitely worth fighting to be a part of. I can't speak for the others, but I'd be honored to be a part of it," he said to the older wolf.

Derek smiled. "Me too! Oomph! Me and Bonnie too!" That did it. Derek just grinned.

"I am not an emotional person, don't say a word Stiles." Stiles put his hand back down on the table and focused back on his English. "But you guys are seriously about to make me cry." Tyler walked around the counter to give him a hug.

"Need help with anything," Tyler asked once he'd stepped back.

Derek pointed in the far back corner of the room where there was a stack of folding chairs. "Will you make sure that there are enough chairs?" Tyler turned and started counting the number of chairs at the table and the number of people to make sure they matched. He pulled out more chairs.

"Is there going to be enough room at the table?" Tyler asked as he set up the chairs.

"Looks like I need a bigger table," Derek acknowledged. "We'll have to be a little squished tonight. We can do something about it tomorrow."

"No need," Bonnie said and she walked over. "Clear everything off." The students pulled all their stuff off and slid back. Bonnie closed her eyes and held her hands out above the table. Slowly it started to elongate. It took less than one minute for it to spread to the correct size. "There," she smiled as she turned to go back to the couch. "I still suggest that you replace it tomorrow, but it should be more than fine for tonight and tomorrow morning."

"Wow," Lydia breathed. "That was amazing."

"Thanks," the witch beamed.

About an hour later John and Jordan walked in. "Hey all," Jordan greeted.

"Hey J! Hey Dad!" Ethan greeted from the floor by Lorilee. He and Isaac had apologized and now she had the two wrapped around her little finger. She knew it, and so did they. And so did the rest of the family.

"We're going to have a guest for dinner," John announced as he came back down the spiral staircase after changing out of his uniform.

Derek glanced at Tyler, who had apparently been relegated to chair duty. He chuckled as he got another chair out. "Who?" Derek asked. John's gazed flickered to Liam.

"Dr. Geyer." Liam's head snapped up so fast that Derek thought he heard it pop.

"My step-dad?" Liam wasn't sure if he was confused or worried. He wasn't sure if he wanted his parents to know. This was HIS thing, HIS family. He didn't know how he felt about having his step-dad there at HIS table. Brett could smell his concern, they all could. But Brett was the first one to his side. He pulled a chair up next to his friend and took Liam's hand in his. Just enough to let him know that he wasn't alone.

"Why?" Derek wanted to know.

"I stopped by the hospital this afternoon to speak with Melissa," he leaned back against the edge of the half wall between the front room and the kitchen so that he could see everyone. "She doesn't understand all of what happened, just that Scott came home and told her that he had to go stay with his dad in San Francisco. All he would tell her was that he'd really messed up and that he didn't have a choice now." John rubbed his face with his hand. "He's already gone. He left that night. She's put in her two weeks' notice. And with all the crap that's been happening . . ."

"We need someone in the ER," Derek finished the thought for him. John nodded.

"Are you sure he'll be able to handle it?" Damon asked. He could hear the pup's heart pounding from across both the counter and the table. He wanted to make sure his new family (and God help him, he'd already started thinking of them as his family) was safe and protected.

"I think so," John tried to reassure everyone.

"Well," Derek interrupted. "I hope he gets here soon because dinner's almost ready." He looked up at the students. "Clear the table. Liam, come here." Liam walked over to Derek as Brett picked up his books for him. Derek didn't say anything, just wrapped his arms around the young wolf. The hug was immediately returned and Derek could feel some of the tension leave the younger man's body. Well, until there was a knock at the front door and then he just tensed right back up. "We've all got your back," Derek whispered in his ear. Liam nodded and took a deep breath before heading to the front room to greet his step-dad.

John was leading in Dr. Geyer. "Hi," Liam raised his hand in greeting awkwardly. Liam almost felt bad for the guy who was looking around the room in total confusion.

Derek walked forward and offered his hand. "Dr. Geyer. I'm Derek Hale." The doctor shook his hand. "Welcome. Come in. Please have a seat. We're just about to eat and I do hope you're hungry." That was everyone's cue to get to the table. John made sure that the doctor was seated between him and Liam. Brett made sure that he was next to Liam to offer his support.

Bowls and plates of food were being passed around the table. "Is dinner always this big of a gathering?" He leaned over and asked Liam.

"Yeah. And breakfast too," he answered his step-father.

"Dr. Geyer," John spoke.

"Please," the doctor interrupted. "Call me Mark, Sheriff."

"Okay, Mark," replied John. "But only if you call me John." After the nod continued. "I know that I asked you here to discuss some sensitive police business, and that since we're now all sitting down to dinner that you're confused. But if you'll bear with us, we'll all explain after dinner."

Mark looked around the table and then looked, really looked, at Liam. His step-son's face asked for his acceptance. And was that fear in his eyes? Liam was afraid of him? Well, that will never do. "Of course, John. This dinner looks too good to waste." He saw Liam exhale a deep breath out of the corner of his eye. What on earth has him so afraid? It's not the others, he's leaning in to the kid next to him. And why does he look so familiar?

Brett caught the look and smell from the doctor and turned his head toward him. "You may not remember me," he began. "I'm Brett Talbot. Liam and I used to play lacrosse together."

"That's why you look familiar. How are you doing? Still at the prep school?" He didn't know what else to ask. He figured that the topic of the old school would make Liam tense up again, but he relaxed a little more instead. Interesting.

"I'm actually transferring," Brett informed him. "I'll be starting at Beacon Hills on Monday."

"Where all the cool kids are," Mason piped up. Mark hadn't even realized that Mason was halfway up the table on the other side.

"Hi Mason," Mark said. "I didn't know that you were here too."

"Yup," he grinned. "You know me and Liam. We're a package deal." The others around the table chuckled at his youthful humor.

"I know I'll never remember all your names but I wouldn't mind an introduction." Liam blushed as Lydia looked like she'd been sucking on a lemon.

"No one in this house has any manners," she mumbled. Mark looked slightly offended.

"Don't worry," Liam leaned over to him. "That was directed at us for not introducing you before." Mark looked relieved. "She's big on manners." Mark liked her more and more. Liam introduced him to everyone at the table.

Sooner than Liam had hoped for, dinner was done. Jeremy, Lorilee, Bonnie, and Mason stood to clear the dishes off the table. Brett tried to stand up but Liam pulled him back down and pulled him closer to him. He needed the physical touch of his friend. Brett scooted his chair toward Liam's and since none of the chairs had arms on them, he was able to tuck his hand in the small of Liam's back without the doctor seeing it. Brett was about to asphyxiate on the nervousness rolling off of Liam.

"The sun, the moon, the truth," he whispered under his breath. He barely moved his lips, so Mark didn't notice anything, but he knew that Liam had heard him. He saw his shoulder relax just the slightest little bit.

John slid his chair back a little so that he could face Mark. "I'm sure that you're aware by now that Melissa McCall is leaving Beacon Hills." Based on the strange look on Mark's face that was not the opening line he'd been expecting. But he just nodded that he'd been informed. "And I'm sure that you're more than aware that Beacon Hills has some very strange cases that show up in the ER." And with the nod, although his expression was now one of wariness. "Well, the two are related." Again, not what the doctor was expecting.

John was trying to ease Mark in to this in much the same way that Stiles had tried to do with him. But it didn't seem to be going so well. "A little help?" John looked at the other end of the table to Derek.

"I'm a werewolf." There. He'd said it. It was out, there was no taking it back.

Stiles' forehead crashed on the table as Derek reached over to rub his back. Lorilee was giggling. Lydia had her hand over her mouth, not sure if she wanted to laugh or yell. Mark turned in his chair, his eyes wide in unbelief, to stare at the owner of the voice. Brett just moved his hand from Liam's lower back to on his should so that Mark could see the physical support that his step-son had.

"Say again?" Mark asked.

Liam swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "I'm . . . a werewolf." He looked his step-dad directly in the eyes as he said it this time. Brett gave Liam's shoulder a small squeeze of pride. "I know it doesn't seem possible," Liam started to explain, but Mark just held up his hand for Liam to stop. The pain coming off of Liam was like a physical punch to the gut to Brett.

"Actually," Mark spoke slowly. "It explains a lot." Liam's, and everyone else's at the table, jaw dropped. "It happened right after you came in with your broken ankle from lacrosse tryouts, didn't it?" No words. Liam had no words right now. He could only nod. "I've seen a lot, and I do mean a lot, of crazy things since I started at this hospital. That was just the first time I'd notice that you were affected by it." He looked at his step-son. "Did you think I wouldn't love you anymore if I knew?" Liam shrugged. Mark just reached forward and wrapped his step-son in a hug. "I've told you before and I'll tell you again. I may not be your biological father but I love you as if you were my own blood." He pulled back so that he could look Liam directly in the eyes. "I love you, no matter what."

Brett could smell the salt from the tear that ran down Liam's cheek. By instinct he leaned forward to wipe it away. That movement made Mark remember everyone else at the table.

"Are you all werewolves?" He asked, eyes stopping on Mason.

"God no," Damon spit out, breaking the tension.

Derek raised his hand. "All wolves." All of the werewolves around the table raised their hands.

"Are the rest of you human?" Mark looked back to the sheriff.

"I am," he informed the doctor. "So's my son and Mason. We count among us a witch, a hunter, and vampire, a vampire/werewolf hybrid, a banshee, and a hellhound." Each raised their hand as John said what kind of supernatural being they were.

Mark just sat back in his chair trying to take it all in. Then he turned to Liam. "How does this affect your IED, and vice versa?"

Liam shrugged the shoulder that did not have Brett's hand on it. "They both make the other one more difficult to control. But I'm learning." He reached up and placed his hand over Brett's and looked back over his shoulder as his friend. "Brett taught me a great mantra to help keep me calm and focused."

Mark nodded as he looked back and forth between the two boys next to him. There was something there, he just wasn't sure what. Liam had always been more touchy feely with his emotions so it could just be that, but there was something in the way that Brett looked down at Liam that lead Mark to believe that there may be something else going on as well. He'd have to keep an eye on that to try to figure it out.

He turned back to John. "So what does this have to do with Melissa?"

"Her son is the one that bit me," Liam supplied, feeling more talkative now that his step-dad was okay with him. "It was that night that I came with the broken ankle. I was dragged up on the roof by something else and the only way that Scott could keep me from falling off the edge of the roof was to grab a hold of my arm with his teeth. And since he was an alpha werewolf, I got turned."

Jordan spoke up suddenly. "That night," he looked down the table to John. "You said you needed five minutes because you were bringing in your own specialist."

"That was me," Derek said. Jordan looked like he had finally solved a million piece puzzle.

"Long story short," John brought the attention back to him. "Melissa kept us informed of any supernatural occurrences so that we could make sure that Beacon Hills stayed as safe as possible."

"But with her leaving you needed a new inside man, as it were." Mark deduced. John just nodded. "Understood." He turned so that Liam could see the seriousness of his answer. "I'll help however I can." His heartbeat was steady so they all knew he was telling the truth.

"You can start by coming back tomorrow and helping me with my lacrosse," Stiles chimed in from down the table. John shook his head and Mark just smiled.

"That I can do," he informed the teen. "Anyone else for some lacrosse?" Liam, Brett, Stiles, and Isaac all raised their hands. "Alright then. I'll be back after dinner tomorrow, if that works for you all." They nodded.

"You're welcome to join us for dinner again if you'd like," Derek told him. "We're usually a little more animated and welcoming than we were tonight."

"Completely understandable," Mark admitted. "I would love to join you all for dinner again." He looked at his watch. "But I do need to get home to Liam's mom." He glanced over at his step-son. "Speaking of which, I'm going to tell her that you're staying with a friend whose parents are out of town for the next couple of weeks so that your friend didn't have to stay by himself. Sound good?" Liam nodded vigorously and nearly tackled Mark in a hug. Mason wasn't far behind in giving Mark a hug along with Liam. "I'll see you all tomorrow." Mark waved as he left, sliding the loft door shut behind him.

"Well," interjected Damon. "That was anti-climactic."

Part 16

The pile of blankets and pillows was set up again in front of the couch. John sat in the side end he'd been on last night. Damon claimed the other end. The rest all curled together in the blankets. Stiles talked them all in to letting them finish Star Wars from the night before. And, of course, they agreed. Ethan turned off this lights and was walking back over to the puppy pile.

"Where are Jordan and Lydia?" he asked as he looked around the loft.

"They went downstairs to spar," Derek informed the former alpha. "Jordan's been teaching her some self-defense."

"Ah." He shrugged. "Okay."

"Someone please make sure that the volume is up really loud," Tyler joked. They all laughed, but Derek turned the volume up just the same.

Lydia drew back with a cocky grin as Parrish wiped the blood from his lower lip, a brow arched in both pride and amusement as he watched the Banshee. They had been going at training for weeks now, and Lydia was continuously getting better, often surprising herself. She had always been the type to throw herself head first into something, to push through and only stop once she'd ended up victorious, and though she may have had doubts at the beginning when she and Parrish had started training she now felt foolish for ever doubting herself. Maybe it had something to do with her Banshee blood, maybe it was just her being…Lydia, but whatever it was, she took to hand to hand combat with ease, like something was sliding into place and clicking within her brain.

Parrish's tongue darted out to swipe at what was no doubt the sting of his lip, and Lydia's eyes were drawn to the sight. Various times throughout the hour that she and Parrish had been training she had caught the man's pale eyes casually scanning over her form, his gaze lingering in places that left her even more breathless than she already was. She wasn't stupid. Far from it. They had been going through this back and forth, tug and pull war for a while now, each trying to get the other to finally give in. To cave and make the first move.

Usually Lydia made the first move. She had never been shy, knowing what she wanted and then taking it, but there was something about Parrish that made her feel surprisingly self-conscious, nervous even, and some day's she wasn't sure how to take it. In turn she knew that Parrish was battling with the fact that she was still in high school and not quite eighteen yet. While he was only a few years older than her, he still prided his job as an officer of the law and she knew that he struggled with his desire for her. And he did desire her. She could see it in the heat of his eyes, the way his body stiffened at times when she was near – like he was holding himself back so as not to reach out and _take_. She wanted him to take.

Despite that, Parrish liked to tease her relentlessly when they trained. It was like he took the opportunity of close contact and used it to his full advantage; often times holding her immobile against him, curving his body around her just so, his breath hot in her ear until Lydia was panting with more than exertion.

"You're getting pretty good at this." Parrish breathed deeply, his chest rising and falling in a way similar to Lydia's own. In a way that she knew drew the man's eyes.

She grinned ferally, a skill she had learned from running with wolves. "I've got a good teacher." She said, moving into a fighter's stance again, her face drawing serious.

Parrish ran his eyes over her, long and leisurely, and heat pooled low in Lydia's belly, spreading to that place between her legs. As if Parrish was aware of it he gave a wicked grin, his eyes flashing faintly of that orange/red before shifting back to their normal color. Lydia tried not to shiver.

She struck, digging her foot against the wood to gain momentum. Her palm shot out, the heel of it quickly seeking out Parrish's nose. Parrish managed to smack her hand aside just in time, grabbing at her wrist and tugging hard. He used her sudden unbalance to grab hold of her hip, twist her around and pull, until her back was slamming hard against his front. Lydia sucked in a sharp breath and ground her teeth together, knowing that Parrish was going to next attempt to slide his arm across her shoulders and keep her immobile. Before he could do that she lifted her foot and with as much strength as she could muster slammed it back down onto his own. Parrish sucked in a sharp breath of pain in her ear, and Lydia grabbed hold of his arms as he bent forward, and using the momentum she jerked on his limbs hard, bending at the waist.

Parrish shot over her shoulder and slammed into the floor, his eyes wide and his mouth gaping as he tried to suck in a gulp of air. Lydia, still holding onto one of his wrist's, immediately twisted and straddled him, drawing her right elbow back and holding her hand with her fingers bent at the first knuckle, her palm showing. She pressed harder against his shoulder, digging him into the floor. "I win." She gasped out, scanning Parrish's face.

He lay still under her aside from the rapid rise and fall of his chest. His eyes were still slightly widened, surprised, and his mouth was slack. Lydia took in the sight of him, feeling something predatory almost course through her system at the knowledge that she had been the one to put that expression on his face. She felt a bead of sweat slide down from her temple and down her cheek, lingering on her jaw a second before falling to splash onto her breast before finally running into the tight material of her work out gear.

Parrish's eyes followed the entire movement. A breath of silence passed between them. Heated eyes. Bodies tensely coiled. And then Parrish was surging up even as she was reaching down.

Their lips locked in a hard press, a little painful even, but they both moaned from the first touch. Parrish's arms were around her waist then, dragging her even closer and Lydia breathed out a gasp when she felt his hardness press intimately against her core. Unable to help herself she swayed with her hips, and this time Parrish broke away from their kiss to moan, his eyes tightly closed.

Lydia was overcome with the urge to feel bare skin beneath her hands and jerked hastily at his shirt, finally pulling it over his head and tossing it carelessly across the loft where they were training. She stared down at him a long moment, her mouth lack and a needy breath leaving her lungs. But then she was tugging his mouth to hers again and then they were devouring one another.

Parrish got her shirt off at some point. She wasn't sure when, just the next thing she knew they were skin to skin. Her top had been made with a sports bra, so she hadn't bothered to wear one, and the sensation of Parrish's chest pressed so firmly against her breast left her whimpering for more. Parrish seemed to understand her need, because suddenly his hands were on her, and Lydia's head dropped back with a strangled gasp when his thumbs brushed against her hard, sensitive nipples.

Her hands shot downwards, beginning to fumble with the clasp of his pants. She was terrified that Parrish would snap out of his lust induced daze at any moment and stop what was happening between them, so she needed to get him naked as soon as possible and inside of her before that happened.

Suddenly Parrish was standing, bringing her with him, and when he took a step back Lydia whimpered, because she thought that moment had come, but then he was sliding his pants and boxers over his hips and they were hitting the floor. Lydia's eyes widened and her breath left her lungs in a rush at the sight of him. He was thick and long, bobbing against his stomach seductively. Lydia was on him in under a second. She coiled her hand around his dick, moaning at the smooth hardness of it even as Parrish was reaching around her hand to awkwardly push her leggings down. Lydia hurriedly moved to help him, and she had just stepped out of them when Parrish's arms were around her waist, lifting her. Her leg's circled his hips automatically and they both moaned at the sensation of their most intimate parts rubbing against one another.

Parrish licked eagerly at the hot cavern of her mouth as he stumbled forward, and then Lydia's back was pressed up against one of the large round pedestal's running from floor to ceiling of the loft. She dug her heel's into the back of Parrish's thigh's and began to buck against him, already wet, and the slick friction was the most amazing thing she had ever felt.

"Need you inside of me." Lydia breathed around their kisses.

Parrish groaned, a shudder wrecking his body before his fingers splayed on her ass and then he was lifting her slightly, his hips circling, searching, and then finally sliding home.

Lydia cried out as she was filled. It had been a long time since she had last had sex, and Parrish fit her so amazingly, her walls clenching around him tight and desperately. She dug her nails into his shoulders as she pulled away, leaning her head back against the pillar and staring down at Parrish with dark eyes.

Parrish's own had turned full fiery now, his face a mask of tight control as he slipped in and out of her, his mouth open and panting with his movements. There was something about his eyes that drew her in, made the Banshee within her rise close to surface, and Lydia vaguely wondered if maybe they were similar monsters. The thought thrilled her somehow, and she moved her hips against Parrish's as much as she was able, pushing down for each of his thrust's, making the man groan and his eyes clench tight.

"Feel so good." Parrish drew out in a harsh whisper, burying his face in her shoulder. Lydia slid her hand up his neck and into his hair, digging her fingers in and tugging backwards hard. Parrish hissed as his head was jerked back, but it wasn't pain that shone on his face, only pleasure.

"I want to see you." Lydia breathed, rolling her hips.

Parrish rumbled against her – an actual to God growling rumble – and then his grip was tightening on her hips and he was thrusting hard and long into her. There was something absolutely animal like within his hard, hungry gaze, and it made Lydia shiver all over even as she whimpered with pleasure.

They fucked one another with a near brutal intensity, and when Parrish's skin began to grow hot against her own it was like a flame within her core was being ignited. Lydia gasped at the fiery friction, each pump of Parrish's hips sending a surge of tingling warmth within her, against her sweaty skin, and filling her head until she became nothing but mindless cries of pleasure. It seemed like she teetered over the edge for ages, but then she was free falling over, her body growing tense and her back arching as pleasure so hot and consuming shot through her Lydia couldn't contain the shrill scream that ripped past her lips. For a very slight moment she was coherent enough to worry about her powers and accidentally hurting Parrish, but at the sound of her breaking apart Parrish only seemed to get even more lost within his own monster as well.

His hips pistoned against hers, his eyes absolutely blazing by now and his jaw locked hard. Lydia could feel him beginning to shake as her muscles clenched tight around his dick as her orgasm continued to spiral, and then he gave one more hard snap of his hips and buried his face in her neck again, and Lydia felt his mouth open as he let out a labored cry that sent chills across her body. His hips jerked faintly against her own, and she could feel him pulsing within her a moment before his body finally went still.

They stay locked together as they both came down from their high, both breathing sharp, hands clinging. Lydia's hand lifted to begin brushing against Parrish's slightly sweaty hair, and his hard grip on her hips had softened, his thumb brushing back and forth against the soft skin of her stomach. Finally Parrish pulled out of her, and Lydia sighed at the loss, carefully placing her feet down on the floor. She was a little wobbly, her legs weak, and Parrish kept his arms around her, holding her steady. She laid her head on his shoulder, blinking slowly and looking around the empty floor.

"Derek's going to be so mad we made it smell like sex in here." She muttered faintly.

Parrish's laughter echoed. "He can just get over it."

Part 17

When Lydia and Jordan came back in to the loft she was surprised at how loud the movie was.

"Could you have that up any louder?" She yelled over the action sequence. Derek aimed the remote at the projector above him.

"You two need to go shower," was his only response. She shot him a look that screamed that she was less than impressed. If the slight widening of Jordan's eyes and the flush of embarrassment were any indication, then he'd figured out both the sound issue and the request for them to shower. He tried to steer Lydia toward the stairs, but she was still glaring daggers at Derek. "There's a reason that a room full of people with enhanced hearing had the sound up so loud," he was trying to tell her nicely, but she was being so obstinate that he was going to have to be blunt.

"We know you two just had sex," Lorilee beat him to the punch. The occupants of the room groaned and Lydia blushed as red as her hair. Stiles rolled over to his side and dropped his head his head on Derek's chest. He used the other hand that was not tucked under him to essentially cover his face.

"Great," Isaac droned. "We're supposed to be keeping her safe, not exposing her to . . . things like this." He waved his hand in the general direction of the couple.

"I knew about sex before tonight, dorks," The twelve year old smacked Isaac with her pillow. "I'm a wolf, remember?"

"You're not a wolf yet, missy," Brett raised an eyebrow at his little sister. She blushed a little and laid her head back down on the pillow that she was readjusting after she hit Isaac with it.

When Stiles' head had dropped on Derek's chest it hadn't felt all that great. But where his head remained on his chest it felt warm and nice. Stiles was still covering his face with his hand so he was breathing heavily in to Derek's side. Between the young man's body pressed all along his side and the chemo signals and pheromones being volleyed all over the room, Derek was worried that he might start to lose the tight grip he was trying to keep on his self-control. He didn't know if he wanted Stiles to touch him less so that he could think clearly or touch him more so that he could flip them over and pin the human under him. He wanted . . . he needed . . .

"Just please so take a shower," Derek repeated his request. He tried to sound nicer about it, he really did. But he knew that it came out sounding more snappish than he'd intended. Embarrassed that everyone knew what she'd just done Lydia nearly ran up the stairs to get away from them, with Jordan following behind at a more respectable pace.

"Hey J," Ethan called up to his friend. Jordan looked down the stairs at the wolf with an eyebrow raised in question. "It's about time." Ethan, and everyone else in the front room, just grinned as Jordan too ran up the stairs.

Derek pressed play on the remote. "Wait," Stiles said. Derek paused the movie again before it had even had a chance to restart. "I just thought of something."

"Did it hurt?" Derek threw the question at Stiles like Stiles did to him that morning. He'd been able to regain some clarity of though once the couple was out of the room.

"Hardy har har," Stiles rolled his eyes. "Seriously, though. We don't know the others' love languages."

"I don't speak French," Damon deadpanned from the couch. Stiles sat up and turned around.

"Really? You went to the language of love?" He said in his best Pepe LePew accent.

"What's a love language?" Asked Jeremy from where he laid next to Bonnie. A brief explanation of the five love languages was given.

"And we figured out that the wolf side of all of us is physical touch," Brett told them.

They all thought for a few minutes. "Quality time," their little sister answered first.

"Totally," agreed Brett.

"Words of affirmation," Isaac decided.

"It's a toss-up," Jeremy said. "Between acts of service and physical touch."

"Mine's acts of service," Bonnie stated.

"I'd have to go with quality time," Damon suggested.

"Really?" Questioned John. "I would have thought acts of service."

Damon raised his trademark eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

"I've only known you for a day and already I see all of the little things that you do for the people around you," the sheriff explained. "You probably don't even realize that you do them."

"You helped with dinner," Derek told him, reinforcing John's observation.

"You helped me with my homework."

"You helped me switch schools."

"You came with me across the country at a moment's notice."

"You gave up your soul mate for the next sixty years or so, so that Bonnie could live."

"You stopped the bullies in the hall at school."

"Okay," he acquiesced. "But this right here," he motioned to all of them. "Just being together makes me happy. And when did I turn in to such a sap? Someone, please, shoot me now." The others chuckled at his way of trying to play off having any emotions or caring about anyone or anything.

"So then you're acts of service with some quality time," Ethan decided for him.

"Ty?" Bonnie prodded.

"I think I have to agree that the wolf is physical touch," he nodded to himself. "But so is the vampire part of me. The human side though . . . probably words of affirmation."

"The vampire side is physical touch?" Stiles asked. Seeing Tyler's nod the teen looked up to the couch. "You too?"

"Yeah," the elder vampire agreed. "I think it's the predator part. It's very tactile." That had the wolves looking inward to gauge whether that was true of their wolves too.

"I can see that," Derek was the first to concede the point.

"It's the Three Fs that make us, as predators, all about physical touch," the hybrid explained.

"Three Fs?" John was almost certain that he didn't want to know, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"Yeah," he smirked. "Feeding, fighting, and . . ." His eyes flickered to his new kid sister. "Let's just say that those two," he pointed up to the shower "have already figured out the third one." That got a small laugh from everyone except Lorilee, who was trying to figure out how sex started with an f.

Stiles rubbed up against Derek's side as he wiggled around trying to get comfortable. Derek barely caught the moan before it escaped his lips, the contact was so unexpected and his nerve endings seemed to be on overdrive. He dropped his head back on the pillow behind him. He really needed to reign himself back in before his attraction to the human lying next to him became obvious to anyone with eyes.

"Derek," Stiles leaned over and whispered in the vicinity of the wolf's shoulder. The feel of Stiles pressed up against his side and the feel of Stiles' breath on his neck was almost Derek's undoing. "What happened with you and Braeden?"

The thought of the mercenary was a mental splash of cold water on his face. He cleared his throat before he could speak without sounding like he was growling. "We went our separate ways about six weeks ago. It was amicable. We just needed different things, is all." Derek pulled Stiles in closer to him, his unconscious body language screaming exactly what it was that Derek needed.

"Oh," came the teen's small reply. Stiles looked down at his hand on Derek's broad chest. "Derek," he spoke again. "What is . . ." he waved his hand back and forth between the two of them. Some small part at the back of Stiles' brain knew that every person in the room was listening to their conversation, but most of his brain felt muddled and almost drunk and didn't care at all. He knew he was safe in this room.

"Don't know yet," came the quiet answer. That was a non-answer as far as Stiles was concerned.

"I thought you were straight," he said to the wolf.

Derek thought for a moment before answering. "I'm a born wolf." As if that explained everything. Feeling the confusion coming off of the young man in his arms he elaborated. "Born wolves are more in tune with their wolf side. And in the wild sex to reproduce is more of something that the females worry about. For the males sex is more about . . ." He wasn't sure how to put in to words something that had just always been a part of him. "Look around this room. How many females are there?" He gave Stiles a moment to really look around the room.

"There are only two," the human answered. "But only one that is physically capable of reproducing due to age." Stiles tried to look at the people through the eyes of the wolf on whom he rested his head.

"Exactly," Derek confirmed. "This is actually a fairly good representation of a pack in the wild. And as you can see, there's got to be more to the wolf's biological imperative to have sex than just to reproduce. Male werewolves, especially born wolves, are like that. Our sexuality is more . . ." he searched for the right word.

"Fluid," Brett provided for him. Derek glanced over to see the other born wolf mirroring his and Stiles position with himself and Liam.

"Yes," the older wolf acknowledged. "Thank you. We're more fluid. We also have a tendency to be attracted to strong personalities that challenge us. Even bitten wolves, if they'll allow themselves to admit it, are more fluid than they were when they were human."

"It's all about what's inside the wrapping," Damon chimed in from the couch. Derek nodded.

"Oh. Okay." Stiles thought about what he'd just heard.

After a moment of contemplative silence, Liam spoke softly. "Is that the reason . . ." Like Stiles, Liam motioned between himself and his wolf-shaped pillow.

Brett pulled Liam a little tighter into his side. "I'm a born wolf, like Derek. I've known my whole life that the only part about the person's physical aspect that's important is that that I find it attractive. It's never been about labels, only about feelings." He played with the soft hair at the shorter wolf's neck. "You're still getting used to the idea of being a wolf, let alone all the changes that come with it." He was trying to not scare the crap of the teen stretched out alongside him. But every time Liam would move, hell, every time he'd breathe, Brett could feel the heat of Liam's skin and the soft breeze of his breath. And it was driving him to distraction. He was only able to stay the least bit focused because he'd had so much practice holding back and repressing his feeling towards the boy in his arms. But it was as if there was something in the air that made holding back nearly impossible. Especially if his traitorous body didn't start behaving.

Liam thought for a moment about what everyone had said. He could definitely see the changes in himself since being turned. So he could understand what they meant about the fluidity of wolves. But at the same time, even before he became a wolf, there had always been something about Brett. Liam could almost instantly find him in a room, no matter how crowed. For as long as he'd known the taller boy Liam had felt drawn to him. He wanted to touch him, to be near him. It hadn't ever been a sexual thing, at least not consciously, but Liam had needed to be close to him.

And now as a wolf, things had only intensified. The first time Liam saw Brett after he'd been bitten, Liam's wolf rattled against his cage. Liam had thought it was anger. But looking back, he thought that it was in recognition of, not just another wolf, but his brother. No, that's not the right word. But there was something that his wolf knew instantly that his human brain is just now starting to pick on.

Yes, he had feelings for Hayden. Like they said, she challenged him. But he wasn't the complete emotional wreck that he thought he should be if it had been an all-encompassing love. He thought about what he'd feel if Brett died. The tidal wave of emotions that hit him was unexpected. So, not the same reaction as with Hayden. This was deeper. This was more . . . something. Liam just couldn't figure out how to describe it to himself, so he knew he'd never be able to explain it to anyone else.

Brett knew that Liam was processing what he'd heard, and Brett was more than willing to give the boy time. But when the surge of emotions coming from Liam hit his nostrils he pulled the dark haired teen closer. Liam was all but laying on top of him now, Brett had pulled him in so tight. And that wasn't helping his body stay relaxed. Whatever was going through Liam's mind, Brett wanted to kiss it all better and make him forget his worries. Brett wanted to worship at the alter that was Liam, again and again.

What the fuck was wrong with him? Brett felt like he was in some drug induced haze. He lifted his head and glanced around the room to see that everyone else's eyes looked as glassy as his felt.

"Ethan. Isaac." Derek's near-growl in the silent room make everyone jump. "Go open the windows and outside doors. We have seriously got to air out this room." The two betas slowly complied. When the first breeze blew in from the open window and Brett got his first breath of fresh air his head started to clear. And that's when it dawned on him.

"They're at it again," Brett mumbled to himself. But the noises of agreement let him know that he wasn't the only one affected by the pheromones and chemo signals raining down on them from the shower upstairs.

Within a few moments the open windows and doors seemed to be doing their jobs. People were starting to move around and talk to each other in hushed tones. And then Lydia and Jordan came down the stairs.

"New rule," Derek ground out through clenched teeth. "No sex of any kind is allowed in this building until bedrooms with their own ventilation systems have been built." Lydia and Jordan looked around the room; they'd obviously missed something.

"Okay," she drawled out. "Any particular reason?"

Derek growled in response. He flashed his purple eyes at her and growled. Jordan instantly pushed her behind him in a defensive position.

"One word, lovebirds," Damon rolled his eyes as he smirked at them. "Pheromones."

"Chemo signals," Stiles added just to make sure that they understood. Lydia and Jordan glanced around at the occupants. John and Lorilee were both blushing and looking horrified. The rest looked like . . . well, like they'd all just been (or were about to be) thoroughly ravaged.

Lydia brought both hands to her mouth as her eyes went wide. "I'm so sorry," she stammered behind her hands. Jordan could only blush as he pulled Lydia so that her face was hidden in his chest.

"Sleep," John said as he stood up. "I think it's time for sleep." He nearly sprinted up the stairs. The conversation hadn't really disturbed him. It was more enlightening than anything. But that many aroused people in one room was more than a little uncomfortable. Especially when his own son was one of those people. He figured that they hadn't realized that a few of them were letting out soft growls and low rumbles in their chests. They had all looked like they'd been drugged. And in some way he supposed they had been. He didn't envy them their enhanced senses sometimes. And this way definitely one of those times.

Part 18

Morning came way too early for the people sleeping in the loft. Damon was the first one awake, not that he'd slept all that much. He'd made the kiddo sleep on the couch and he'd put her feet in his lap. With last night's awkwardness he didn't want her sleeping in the middle of the hormone-laden group on the floor. He slid out from underneath her feet and silently wandered in to the kitchen. The first thing he did was start the pot of coffee. The next thing he did was try to figure out what to make everyone for breakfast. With his head in the fridge he realized that they were going to either need a bigger fridge or more than one.

Jordan was the second person awake so he came in to help. He started on the bacon and sausage as Damon started on the French toast. It didn't take long for the others to start waking up and moving around. Lydia sauntered in to the kitchen. Without even realizing she was doing it she pulled out all the coffee mugs and started filling them up. Damon had already set out the milk, creamers, and sugar on the side of the counter closest to the table. She handed off mugs as people made their way in toward the smell of food and caffeine. Once everyone had their cup, and the pot was empty, she started a fresh pot. They were going to need a bigger pot.

Once everyone was seated at the table, it was evident that the food and coffee were working since people were starting to talk.

"Who's going to take me to school?" Lorilee asked.

"I will," Damon offered. "That way we can get all your emergency contact information switched over without any questions."

"I'll go with you to show you were it is," Brett said mid-yawn.

"Speaking of school," Derek look toward Isaac. "Have you finished high school yet?"

The blonde shook his head. "No. I've got my senior year left." Derek nodded then looked to Ethan.

"What about you?"

"Naw," Ethan replied. "Didn't stick around long enough."

"That's settled then." Derek looked back and forth between the two. "Brett starts at the high school on Monday and so do you two." They both groaned but knew better than to argue.

"Littlest Gilbert," Damon interrupted their complaints. Jeremey knew he was in trouble when Damon used that nickname. "You haven't finished either. With everything that happened you missed most of your senior year." Jeremey could see where this was going. He wanted to argue, but part of him wanted to finish too.

"I know, I know," he said. "I start on Monday too."

"You guys should come play on the lacrosse team," Stiles suggested. The others just smiled and shook their heads as they finished up their breakfast.

Soon enough, Lydia left with Stiles, Liam, and Mason; and Damon left in Derek's Charger with Brett and Lorilee.

Brett gave directions to Damon on how to get to the middle school. When they pulled in to the parking lot and turned off the car Brett turned around to look at his little sister.

"Remember," he told her. "We're moving in with our uncle, Damon, because our foster family is moving away." She nodded that she understood. As the three walked toward the school she walked in between them and held each of their hands. They smiled down at her as she just grinned up at them.

"May I help you?" The secretary asked when the three walked in.

"Yes," answered Damon. "My niece and nephew here are going to be moving in with me, as their foster family is moving out of Beacon Hills." 

"Oh," she replied. "I'll need to contact foster care services to confirm."

Damon leaned forward over the desk and compelled her that she didn't need to call anyone. She just needed to update Lorilee's information.

"Just need to update the information," the secretary responded. Lorilee watched in amazement. She'd heard what he could do, but to watch him do it was really cool. It only took a few minutes to get all of the new contact and emergency contact information. Then Damon was shuffling his "niece" off to class.

"Have a good day," he told her as he gave her a hug. "Bonnie will probably be the one that picks you up today. Okay?" She nodded as she ran off toward her homeroom class.

The school day went by quickly and before they realized it Stiles and Liam were heading out to lacrosse practice. Practice started off normal enough. But about half way through Coach walked up to Stiles and grabbed his facemask to get his attention.

"Stilinski, where's your other half?" Coach demanded. Stiles first thought was to try to figure out why Coach wanted to know where Derek was. Then Stiles blushed furiously as he realized that a) he'd just thought of Derek as his 'other half', and b) that Coach must have meant Scott.

"I don't know Coach," Stiles replied. "Last I heard he'd move to San Francisco to live with his dad."

"Last you heard?" Coach yelled. "Aren't you two joined at the brain?"

"No sir, Coach," Stiles said. "I'm the only one of the two of us with any brains." The anger and bitterness in Stiles' voice had Coach Finstock stop and really look at the player.

"Come here Stilinski." Coach pulled him by his facemask away from the other players. "What the hell is going on?"

"Not sure what you mean Coach," Stiles tried to play dumb.

"McCall's gone. Yukimora is gone. Your annoying girlfriend is gone. And you and Dunbar don't like to be more than an arm span away from each other." He gave his student a long look. "I know I act like an uncaring hard ass most of the time, but there's something big going on."

Stiles just stared at his coach for a moment before deciding to test the proverbial waters. "How much do you know about what really goes on in Beacon Hills?" He asked cautiously.

"Enough to know that stories about what goes bump in the night are more than just stories," the coach said quietly. Stiles has always wondered how the coach never noticed all the crap that went on during some of the games. Apparently he had noticed.

"Scott and Malia, my now ex-girlfriend, have been exiled from Beacon Hills by the local Community," he tried to explain.

"Community sounded like it should start with a capital letter." Coach was more observant than he'd been given credit.

"It does Coach." Stiles sighed. "Over last weekend they tried to kill Liam and two other of our youngest members." Coach's head spun to Liam.

"I'd kick his ass out too," Finstock admitted. "How does Dunbar fit in to all this?"

"Liam, take off your helmet," Stiles whispered. The coach's eyes got large as the young player that was standing across the field removed his helmet then turned back to look at his coach and his friend.

"How?" was all Coach asked.

"Werewolf," was Stiles' succinct response. Coach looked from Liam and then back to Stiles, who he looked up and down appraisingly.

"Oh no," Stiles smiled. "I'm human."

"Figures," Coach snarked.

"But I do have some good news for you Coach," Stiles grinned.

"I could use some."

"One of the other boys that was attacked is transferring to Beacon Hills."

"How is that good news?"

Liam jogged over. "Because Coach. It's Brett Talbot from Devenford Prep."

"Talbot? Why do I know that name?"

"Tall blonde. Kept kicking my ass last year," Liam told him. Coach's face lit up.

"That kid's coming here?"

"Yes Coach," Stiles answered as he bounced up and down on the balls of his feet. "He starts Monday. He know he won't be able to play the rest of this season, but he'll be here for two more years after that."

"Hehe," Coach's laugh sounded somewhat evil. "You leave his eligibility to me." Coach grinned as he started to turn to walk away.

"There's more good news Coach," Liam piped up.

"Isaac Lahey is back," Stiles informed the coach once he'd turned back to them.

"Lahey? Wait, is he a . . ." not sure how to ask the question. In response, Liam just flashed his golden wolf eyes.

"Yes, he is." Liam confirmed. "He'll be here on Monday too."

"Do you remember Danny's boyfriend? The twin?" Stiles asked the coach.

"Ethan? Yeah."

"He's back too."

"Does he play lacrosse?"

"Not yet," Stiles sing-songed the answered. "But with his fantastic reflexes," Liam flashed his eyes again so that Coach knew exactly what they meant. "I'm sure he'll be a natural."

"Don't forget about Jer,"Liam reminded his big brother.

"That's right," Stiles smiled. "Another friend of ours will be starting here on Monday as well."

"Is he a . . ."

"No, but he is more than human. He's a Hunter."

"Again with the capitalizing." The coach shook his head.

"It's some mystical, magical definition. Needless to say, his reflexes are above average." Stiles confirmed.

The coach turned to Stiles and got close to his face. "You bring these guys on Monday and if they're all as good as you say they are you'll get an automatic A in my class for the rest of the year." He turned to walk back to the rest of the team, but then a few steps away he turned back to face them. "And tell Lahey that I'm looking for a new captain."


	2. Chapters 19-29

Part 19

When the four high school student got home the Pit was finished, although it was not bolted down on the floor yet since no one was quite sure exactly where in the room to put it. It was going across the hall in what would become the Play Room. Ultimately, it would be where the group could watch movies, play pool, air hockey, video games, etc. And, obviously, sleep if needed.

In the dining room, a new table had been built. It was a simple yet very sturdy design. It also had two leaves that could be added in to expand the table if they needed more room. The floor below the loft was filled with construction workers.

"What's all this?" Lydia asked Jordan as she indicated the work taking place on the floor below them, then she kissed him on the cheek.

"Derek decided that it was going to be too intricate of a job for us, seeing as none of us know how to do any real electrical work, or any other kind of specialized work that would be needed for the rooms." He told her. "All of the rooms will be sound proofed and have their own a/c units. That's a far cry from nailing a few boards together like the rest of us did today."

"Well I think you all did an amazing job," she told her boyfriend. "Now, if you'll excuse us, the girls and I are going to go pick up some pizza and beer."

"Hold up," Derek called from across the room. As he walked toward her he grabbed his wallet out of his back pocket. He took out a one hundred dollar bill and handed it to Lydia. "Here."

"You sure?" She asked him.

"Yes," he smiled. She took the bill and leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. Then she, Bonnie, and their little sister headed out of the loft.

Liam and Stiles were lugging several large bags in to the Play Room. "Isaac," Stiles said to the werewolf that was adding more pillows to the Pit. "Come help."

"What is all of this?" The tall blonde asked as he took the heavy bag from Stiles.

"Coach let us borrow a portable goal, several sticks, and a bunch of balls," Stiles informed him. Isaac's raised eyebrow indicated that he was waiting for the rest of the story.

"Coach knows," Liam stated.

"What exactly does Coach know?" Isaac asked concerned.

"Enough," Stiles answered. "How did he word it? Oh yeah, that the quote stories about what goes bump in the night are more than just stories end quote." Isaac's eyes got large.

"He knows that we're werewolves," Liam told him. "He knows you're coming back and wanted us to tell you that he's looking for a new captain." Both wolves grinned.

"He also said that if Ethan and Jeremy come out to play that I'll get an automatic A in Econ for the rest of the year." Stiles was only too happy to point out that this could be win-win situation for everyone.

"Oh, and Brett," Liam said loud enough to be heard across the hall. Within seconds the tall werewolf was close at hand. "Coach wants to see you on Monday. He told us to leave your player eligibility to him." Liam grinned up at his friend.

"Seriously?" Brett asked. When Liam nodded Brett stepped over, wrapped his arms around Liam's waist, picked him up and spun him around in circles while hugging him.

"Why are we so excited in here?" John asked as he walked over to the boys.

"Coach is über-excited about the fact that come Monday he'll have four wolves and a Hunter on his team," Stiles told him. "He can already see the state championship trophy that will be sitting on his desk."

The trio of female family members stood in line at the pizza parlor. Lydia picked up a couple of strands of her little sister's hair. "What's the deal with your hair?"

Lorilee glared at her but didn't say anything. When the silence dragged on a few more seconds she raised an eyebrow in question to her new older sister.

Lydia sighed. "I just meant, are you trying to grow it out or are you keeping it short?"

"Oh," the younger mumbled as she ducked her head. "I like it short. It's easy to do."

Bonnie nudged her new youngest sister's shoulder with her arm. "I totally get that." They both just smiled. "But, did Brett cut it for you?" Lorilee looked back and forth between the two older girls and then nodded slowly.

"I adore your brother," Lydia said as she returned to playing with the blonde's hair, trying to figure out what style would look best on her. "But sometimes he can be such a boy." The resulting giggle-fit had the two oldest girls winking at each other.

"Here's what I'm thinking," Lydia interrupted. "Shorter in the front with funky spikes in the back. What do you think Bon?"

Bonnie tugged softly on a few of Lorilee's bangs. "As long as this part here is swept over to keep it a little softer."

"Perfect," the red head declared. "On Saturday we'll have a girls' day out and get your hair cut and styled, go shopping for some new clothes, and generally try to avoid the distinct possibility of testosterone poisoning at the house."

Lorilee decided that she could definitely get used to having big sisters. "Wait, new clothes? What's wrong with the clothes I have?" She looked down trying to see what the other two girls saw.

"Brett's hand me downs? Or do the two of you only shop in the boy's section?" Bonnie asked gingerly.

"Both," came the quiet reply. "But they're really comfortable," she defended.

"Do you see yourself as a girl or a boy?" Lydia asked seriously.

"A girl." The tone indicating that that was just about the dumbest question she'd ever heard.

"Then why don't you dress like it?" Lydia countered. Lorilee actually stopped to think about that as the trio stepped closer toward the counter where they'd place their order once it was their turn.

"In my world growing up, guys are the strong ones. Especially with everything that happened last year I didn't ever want to look weak."

Lydia wrapped the young wolf in a hug. "Oh sweetie," she comforted. "What happened last year is over. You're safe now. Besides," she took a step back and held each of Lorilee's shoulders in each of her hands. "In our family, who is the one person that everyone is most afraid of?" Lorilee quickly glanced at Bonnie with a look begging for the witch's help.

"Relax," Lydia smiled. "That's my point exactly. It's me." The youngest let out the breath she'd been holding. She hadn't wanted to insult Lydia, but she was definitely the one that everyone was most afraid of. "Is it because I'm physically the strongest?" Lorilee shook her head. "Is it because I'm the fastest?" Again she shook her head. "No, of course not. It's because I know exactly who I am and I refuse to settle for less than the best from those people around me." Lydia let her hands fall back down to her side.

"Being the strongest isn't about who can bench press the most. It's about being self-confident and being strong on the inside." Lydia tapped Lorilee's chest with her finger, indicating toward her heart. "And being proud of who and what you are is part of that strength. So be proud to be a woman. You have more power than you could possibly imagine." She smirked at the blonde.

"She's right Kiddo," Bonnie agreed. "Embracing your womanhood is merely another way to embrace your inner power." Lorilee smiled as she looked up at the two girls. Yup, she thought, she could definitely get used to having two big sisters.

It was their turn at the counter. They'd gone to one of those national chains that had pizzas ready all the time for five dollars. "Let's see," Lydia quickly counted in her head. "We'll take fifteen pizzas, five bread sticks, and five cheesy bread sticks." The guy behind the counter just stood there frozen. He wasn't sure if she was joking or not. Lydia cleared up the uncertainty.

"Sometime tonight," she nearly growled through clenched teeth. She decided that she'd been spending entirely too much time with the pack of wolves. She was growling for heaven's sake. She was a Banshee; she was supposed to scream, not growl. She shook her head at herself.

The employee finally brought all of their food to the counter and Lydia handed him the hundred dollar bill that Derek had given her. It took two trips but the girls finally got all of the food out to the car. They put the pizzas in the trunk with the boxes spread out to help keep them from sliding. Both kinds of breadsticks were on the floor of the back seat. On the way back to the loft the girls stopped at a convenience store where Bonnie went in and purchased two large cases of cold beer.

When they got home Lydia parked as close to the front door as she could, noticing that all of the construction vehicles were now gone. She opened the front door.

"We need some help carrying," she hollered in to the empty space. She barely had time to blink before it was, literally, raining vampires. Damon and Tyler had jumped over the railing up on the tenth floor. "I'm never going to get used to that," she mumbled as they walked out to the car. The five family members managed to get all the food and drinks upstairs in one trip.

They spread the boxes out on the kitchen counter and dining room table. Derek had gotten out a bunch of paper plates. Liam and Mason were getting out bottles of water for the younger members that wouldn't be drinking beer. Just as they were getting everything organized Mark knocked on the door.

"Come on in Mark," Derek called from the kitchen. Dr. Mark Geyer wandered in to the dining room/kitchen area. Liam wandered over and gave him a hug, which the doctor willingly returned.

"Perfect timing Doc," Damon told him as people started filling plates and sitting at the table.

"Make yourself at home," Derek said. "Grab a plate and dig in." Mark headed over to the counter and picked up a plate. He put a couple of slices of pizza and some bread sticks on it. He claimed a bottle of beer and headed back to sit where he had the night before.

As he set down his plate he realized that the table was a different color than it was last night. He looked up and down the table and realized it was a completely different table. "New table?" He asked no one in particular.

"The old one was too small," Derek told him. "So a couple of us built this one today. It's bigger and sturdier to start with, plus there are two more sections we can add in to expand it if we need to."

"You guys built this?" Mark asked. Seeing the nods he continued. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks," Derek acknowledged. "Some of us worked on the table while the others worked on the Pit."

"The Pit?" The doctor asked confused.

"The Puppy Pile Pit," Ethan explained grinning. Seeing the doctor's more than a little confused facial expression he continued. "You know, wolves, puppies. In the wild wolves will snuggle in to a great big pile. This is our version. After the events of this past weekend we decided it offered all of us the most comfort and reassurance."

"What happened this weekend?" Mark glanced over to Liam sitting next to him. Liam ducked his head and tensed up. He leaned slightly in to Brett on his other side. If the growl from Isaac that was directed at Ethan was any indication it was something bad and fairly big.

The occupants of the table all looked around at each other. Finally all eyes settled on Liam who just gave a small nod. Brett reached over and placed a hand on Liam's shoulder. Stiles was the first to speak up. "Melissa McCall is leaving the hospital because her son Scott has been exiled from Beacon Hills due to this past weekend." Mark turned his head to stare at the teen.

"May I ask what happened, since it obviously had a traumatic effect on my step-son?" Fifteen sets of eyes narrowed at the ER doctor. "I'm not as oblivious as most of the people in Beacon Hills." Mark explained. "You all made sure that he was okay with it before anyone said anything. And his body language is screaming that he would rather be anywhere but here for this conversation. Add to that that Brett has his hand on Liam's shoulder trying to reassure and placate him, and you get that whatever it was that happened deeply scarred my step-son."

The group just stared at the man. "Are you sure you're a doctor and not a detective?" John joked, effectively breaking the tension in the dining room.

"I'm just an observant, over-protective father," the doctor smiled at the sheriff. "I'm sure if anyone here can understand that it's you."

"Completely," John conceded. "Well, to make a very long and complicated story fairly short, we'll skip the background story and all of the whys and just jump to the what." Mark nodded. "Scott McCall and two members of his former pack, attacked and tried to kill Liam, Mason, and Brett on Saturday night."

Mark turned quickly to his step-son. Seeing Liam's head hung low and his body coiled tightly to either run, fight, or completely freak out, Mark knew it was true. Mark's first thought was that it was a good thing that Scott was already out of Beacon Hills or the doctor would've been out the front door to hunt him down. The second thought that crossed his mind was trying to emotionally protect his step-son. He slowly reached out a hand and laid it on Liam's shoulder. When the teen looked up at him he just opened his arms offering Liam a hug. The speed with which Liam dove in to his arms nearly knocked the doctor backwards off his chair.

Mark looked down the table to Mason who was tucked in to the arm of the hybrid sitting next to him.

Mark motioned for Mason to come over. He hustled over to his best friend/brother's step-father and was immediately pulled in to the hug with them. Mark then looked at Brett and Brett moved to sit on Liam's now empty chair. He sandwiched Liam between himself and the doctor as he joined in on the hug. When Mark looked around he noticed that there were very few dry eyes around the table. Apparently he'd done the right thing. He could now completely understand everyone's need to sleep in a big pile. If for no other reason than to allow these three boys to know that they were safe and loved.

Mark pulled back slightly from the hug. "Boys," he said softly to get their attention. "I know I'm the new guy in all of this, but please know that you can always come to me if you need anything. That just like John," Mark motioned with his head to the sheriff. "I'm another adult who will always be in your corner, and will do everything I can to help keep you safe." They nodded and sniffled. Slowly they disentangled themselves and headed back to their own seats.

Before Brett had even had a chance to sit down, Derek had walked down the table, pulled Mark to his feet and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Thank you," said the almost-alpha. Within seconds the entire group was wrapped around Mark in a family hug, just like they had with John. The hug only lasted a few moments before they all made their way back to their seats and started eating their dinner which was starting to get cold.

"Welcome to the family, Doc," John said as he clasped the man on the shoulder.

"Thank you," he replied smiling. "And thank you all for allowing me to be a part of it." He looked up and down the table at the occupants so that they knew he was being sincere.

"So, Doc," Stiles said with a mouth full pizza.

"Manners," hissed Lydia. Stiles rolled his eyes at the Banshee but made sure that he'd chewed and swallowed the food that was in his mouth before speaking again.

"Coach Finstock let Liam and I bring home a bunch of lacrosse stuff. Mainly because we need to teach Ethan and Jeremy how to play." Mark smiled at the idea that one minute the family was discussing members being nearly killed and the next minute their discussing good manner and lacrosse.

"What if I don't want to play?" "Why do I have to play?" Were the responses.

"Because my Econ grade depends on it," Stiles informed them. "Besides which, it's a great way to get out some aggression, and you can think of it as a family bonding experience." Ethan and Jeremy rolled their eyes, but the smiles on their faces belied their aggravation.

"Fine." "Alright."

Stiles grinned. Liam, Brett, and Isaac all smiled too knowing that it was going to be a blast with all of them playing together.

"It's okay Stiles. Try it again." Mark was coaching the boys playing lacrosse on the far side of the Play Room.

"He is so patient," John sighed knowing better than anyone how frustrating Stiles could be some time.

"He's a good man," Derek agreed.

Those not playing were in the Pit relaxing and watching the practice. As expected Ethan and Jeremy were naturals. The supernatural beings weren't holding back completely so they were even better and faster than they would be at practice on Monday. This just served to accentuate the difference in Stiles being the only human.

"Hey Doc," Damon spoke loud enough for to be heard from the Pit. Mark raised his head and an eyebrow indicating he was listening, but he never took his eyes off of the players in front of him. "Seeing as there are two of us that need a specific kind of liquid diet," that got everyone's attention and practice stopped as everyone turned toward the vampire. "Where would be the best place to score some blood?" Eyes widened in shock. "I mean that in the 'already-in-a-labelled-plastic-bag' kind of way," he explained. The others relaxed as he rolled his eyes at them. Then all eyes were on Doc as he thought about it.

"The hospital has its own blood bank," the doctor said. "But if more than a few were to go missing it might start to raise some questions that are better off not asked." They nodded agreeing that too many questions could be a bad thing. "There's a couple of blood donation sites throughout the county. It would probably be easier to get to those, and they might lead to fewer questions."

"Thanks," the vampire said.

Mark looked down at his watch. "Crap," he said. "I've already stayed later than I'd planned on. Your mother's going to have my head," he told Liam and he messed up the kid's hair. Liam ducked and swatted playfully at his step-dad's hand.

The family said their goodbyes and the newest member headed home for the evening.

"Showers and homework," John told the boys as they walked toward the Pit. Instead of collapsing in the pillows like they wanted they kept walking out the door and across to the original loft. The adults could hear them calling dibs on who was going to get to use the shower first.

"I cannot wait until the bedrooms are done so that everyone has their own bathroom," Derek mumbled.

"I cannot wait until the bedrooms are done so that I can have sex with my boyfriend again," Lydia smirked as the others just groaned.

Part 20

The next few days continued on in a similar fashion, a sort of routine having been developed. Breakfast, school/work, homework, dinner, sleep. While the construction workers built the bedrooms on the floor below, the rest of the family worked on some of the other rooms. The kitchen had been expanded; a few walls knocked down to create more room. New appliances (such as fridges, freezers, an espresso machine, etc.) had been purchased and installed. It was starting to look more like the kitchen of a large restaurant than of a residential loft.

Outside of the loft on the balcony now sat several large bar-b-que grills. The guys thought that since it was Friday that it would be a perfect evening to break them in. Derek was grilling the steaks and John and Jordan prepared the rest of the meal.

"I'm glad that we didn't have a game this week," Stiles said as he started eating.

"Why's that?" His dad asked him. Stiles was usually so excited about lacrosse games that it seemed a little weird for him to be glad there wasn't one.

"Because I'm exhausted," Stiles replied. "It's been a really long week." The others around the table nodded their understanding, both of the statement and the situation.

"How close are the rooms downstairs to being finished?" Lydia asked Derek.

"Close enough that tomorrow we're all going shopping to pick out paint, wallpaper, etc. We'll also go look at bedroom furniture too." He couldn't help but smile as his family all grinned in excitement.

"I don't mean to be a buzzkill," John interrupted. "But how are you able to afford all of this?" He motioned around the room.

"Peter's financing it," Derek smirked.

"The bag from Garrett's locker," Stiles guessed. Derek nodded.

"That's some of it," he confirmed. "The FBI and police released the rest of the money that Meredith had in an account to finance the rest of the dead pool. With the top three that were still on the list, plus several others, that came to nearly seventy left. And since Peter is the reason behind all of our worlds being turned upside down, I figure the least he could do is finance a little remodeling." Derek shrugged his shoulders.

"What's a dead pool?" Tyler asked confused.

"Last year," Derek explained. "A hit list was circulated, first to professional assassins and then to basically anyone with a printer. All of the supernatural beings in Beacon Hills were on the list."

"Yeah," Liam spoke up. "It started the same time that I was turned. So my 'welcome to the supernatural' speech turned into more of a 'watch your back because the tomahawk-wielding assassin with no mouth is trying to kill you' speech."

"No mouth?" Jeremy questioned.

"He was called The Mute," John informed them. "He was the first assassin that we were made aware of."

"How much were you all worth?" Damon asked, being blunt as always.

"Lydia was worth 20," Stiles said.

"Twenty thousand?" Bonnie asked for clarification.

"Twenty million," Lydia replied. The people that weren't around for the dead pool all gaped. "Don't look at me like that. I was only the second most. Mr. False Alpha was worth 25 million."

"So when you said that there was seventy left," Ethan turned to Derek. "You meant that there was seventy million dollars left."

"Like I said," Derek responded. "The least Peter could do is finance the remodeling."

"What about the rest of you?" Jeremy was now curious.

"One million," Brett said. "And it was a really close call that I'm sitting here." Liam rubbed Brett's back trying to reassure him.

"D?" Ethan asked Derek.

"Because of something else that was going on at the time," he explained. "I was losing all of my wolf power. So, I was not on the dead pool. However, my name was the cipher that broke the last third of the list." Derek looked toward the former twin. "Allison's broke the first part and . . . Aiden's . . . broke the second." Derek placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. Stiles put his hand on Isaac's are in support of Allison being mentioned.

"Since the list was already being circulated by time I was bitten," Liam tried to distract the people at the table. "I was on the third list."

"Yeah," Brett understood what he was doing. "And you were still worth more than me." The Mystic Falls group looked back and forth between the two boys. "Three million. To start with."

"To start with?" Bonnie asked.

"One night my printer started going haywire," Liam informed them. "It just started printing out the dead pool list over and over. Names of the deceased were crossed out. And as far as I could tell, the number next to my name was the only one that changed."

"What did it change to?" Ethan asked, having regained some of his composure.

"Eighteen million."

Damon let out a low whistle. "Damn." Liam just nodded.

"So," Derek spoke up. "Between the ones that were left the FBI handed over about seventy million. Plus a bag with almost half a million in cash was returned to me after it was found in one of the assassin's lockers."

"Garrett's locker?" Liam ground out through clenched teeth, remembering what Stiles had just said. Derek nodded. "His school locker or his lacrosse locker?"

"Lacrosse," Stiles answered confused my Liam's reaction.

"That asshole," Liam practically yelled.

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" Damon eyed the young wolf cautiously.

Liam took a deep breath to try to calm himself down. "I was on lookout duty while Scott broke in to Garrett's lacrosse locker. When I asked him if he'd found anything he said that there was nothing there. He lied to me." Brett started to rub Liam's back hoping to calm him down.

"Yeah," Stiles snorted. "If you call a gym bag with five hundred thousand dollars in it nothing."

"There wasn't five hundred in it," Derek corrected. Stiles gave him a confused look. "There was only four hundred and fifty thousand in it." Stiles just shook his head in disbelief. Well, not so much disbelief anymore. He was realizing that he really hadn't known his best friend.

"I helped him count it," Stiles sighed. "There was a full half million in it. Which means that he kept fifty thousand for himself when he gave you the bag." Now it was Derek's turn to shake his head in disbelief.

"Of course he did." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm starting to think that none of us had any idea who Scott McCall really was."

"It's a good thing this kid is already long gone," Tyler spat out. "Or I'd have to hunt him down and kick his ass for being such a douche bag." Damon, Jeremy, and Bonnie all nodded their heads in aggravated agreement. "First the lies, then the stealing, and then going after the boys." Tyler unknowingly shifted in to his vampire façade.

"I'm not against a trip to San Francisco," Damon chimed in. Derek just shook his head and smiled at the two. He had no doubt that if it ever became necessary that they'd follow through with it. But right now, he was just glad that they were part of his family.

"I wanna go out," Mason muttered. He loved his family, but he was getting bored of being in the loft every night. It was Friday night. He wanted to go out and play.

"Where?" Derek asked. He was so lost in his thoughts that he was inclined to let the family have a night out on the town.

Mason glanced over to Ethan and they both broke in to huge grins. "Sinema," they said in stereo. Liam and Brett groaned.

"What's wrong with Sinema?" Ethan asked them confused.

Liam pinned Mason with a stare. "Yes Mason," the short wolf retorted. "What possible reason could Brett and I have for NOT wanting to go there?"

"Uuumm," the third sophomore didn't want to admit to the others that he'd almost been killed the first time he'd made Liam go with him to the club. And that Brett had been serious hurt while trying to save him.

"Death by making out with a giant scorpion, maybe?" Brett chimed in. The others looked back and forth between all the teens.

"Spill," Derek demanded. Maybe he wouldn't let them out of the house tonight.

"How was I supposed to know he was a chimera?" Mason defended himself.

"Here's a crazy idea," Liam teased his best friend. "Don't make out with random people."

Mason threw his hands in the air. "Then who am I supposed to make out with?"

Ethan grinned. "If you just need someone to make out with . . ." He laughed as a good number of pillows were thrown at his head.

"Tell you what," John interrupted before things devolved in to a full fledge pillow fight. "Kiddo and I will go crash at my house tonight and you guys all go out and just have fun and try to relax." The pleading looks on the faces around him had Derek giving in rather quickly.

"Fine," he acquiesced. "But only on the condition that Mason isn't allowed to make out with strangers." The wink that Derek sent to Mason had him blushing with embarrassment, but the teen nodded willingly.

An hour later the group sauntered in the front door of Sinema. Damon made sure that they were all allowed in without any questions. The music was loud and the air was filled with pheromones and chemo signals that soon had them all letting go of their everyday inhibitions.

"Remind me why I agreed to this?" Derek leaned down to talk in Stiles' ear so that the human could hear him over the music. The feel of Derek's breath along his neck had Stiles holding back a shiver.

"Because you're the best almost-alpha ever," Stiles answered as he smiled up at the wolf.

"Stiles." There was Derek's breath on his neck again. How was he supposed to think rationally when the sexy wolf kept doing that? "It was a rhetorical question." Derek smiled on of his rare real smiles, which of course made thinking even more difficult for the teen.

"Oh," was all he managed to get out. Did Derek's nostrils just flare a little? If the knowing smirk is anything to go by then yes. Damn chemo signals. "That's not fair," Stiles leaned up to speak in Derek's ear. But doing so had him pressed up against the older man's hard body.

"What's not?" Derek was so distracted by the feel and smell of the human pressed up against him that he'd forgotten what the conversation was about. Derek could smell, not just his chemo signals, but the scent that was distinctly Stiles. It was one of his favorite scents.

"That you can pick up on my chemo signals and so you know what I'm thinking and feeling, but I have no idea what's going through your head," Stiles replied. Just then someone walked behind Stiles and bumped into him, which caused him to come more fully in to contact with Derek. Instinct had Derek wrap his arms around Stiles waist to make sure that he was steady on his feet. Likewise, Stiles had his hands wrapped around Derek's shoulders. Derek didn't question it, he just pulled the lanky teen closer to him until they were in contact everywhere from shoulder to foot.

Derek couldn't help it. He got lost in Stiles' caramel colored eyes. He was drowning in the scent of Stiles and his emotions, and he never wanted to be rescued. Why is Stiles grinning?

"What?" Derek asked.

Stiles shook his head and grinned. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

When Derek first felt Stiles' fingers on the back of his neck he didn't know what to do. Did he drop his head to Stiles' shoulder to allow the teen better access to his neck? Did he just stand there and enjoy the sensations? Or did he lean down and kiss that knowing smile off of Stiles' sexy mouth? The small part of his brain that was still functioning told him not to rush Stiles, so no kissing. Yet. Instead, Derek ran his hand up and down Stiles' side exploring the young man's torso. Did Stiles just shiver? Good. Then they were even.

"Do they realize that they're not even dancing?" Jordan spoke in to Lydia's ear as he indicated toward Derek and Stiles a few feet away. She just smiled softly.

"Do you realize that they probably don't even notice that there's music playing?" She teased her boyfriend. Boyfriend. She really liked the sound of that. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her. He responded by folding his arms around her waist, trapping her body against his.

"Finally," Ethan leaned over and said to Isaac. He pointed toward the not-dancing couple. Isaac just smiled. 

"Not sure why some people always try to fight the obvious," the tall blond teen said as he locked eyes with Ethan. He didn't mean to meet his eyes, but when he did they both immediately froze. The chemo signals coming off the people around them was already making in difficult to think clearly. But the chemo signals coming off of the other was about to be their undoing.

As if a magnet turned on and pulled them together, they both took a step toward each other. They were standing chest to chest now. The song coming out of the speakers may have been up-tempo, but the two wolves moved to a rhythm that only they seemed to be able to hear. They began to dance with each other as if they were the only two people in the room. Hands slid up and down sides, fingers tangled in hair. Their eyes never broke away from the other's lust-filled gaze. It was as if their bodies were following a script of which their minds were unaware. They pulled the other one towards them and their lips crashed in to one another. They moaned at the sensations; their lips and tongues, their hands and bodies, all vying for attention from the other one.

They were pulled apart by force which meant that whoever interrupted them should fear for their lives. When they looked up and saw their two vampire friends grinning, most of the thoughts of death left their minds. Emphasis on the word most.

"As thrilled as we are that you two finally pulled your heads out of your asses," Damon smirked at them. "The fact that you two were growling and about to rip each other's clothes off and have sex right in the middle of the dance floor would be a very bad thing." He glared at them knowingly.

"There was no growling," Ethan defended.

"There was most definitely growling," Tyler informed him. "And shifting." He nodded his head toward their hands, which clearly showed werewolf claws instead of human fingernails.

"Damn," Isaac said more to himself than anyone else. He shook out his hands and they returned to their human form.

"You two good now?" Damon asked. The two wolves nodded. "Good." The two vampires grinned as they walked off.

"Um," Isaac didn't know what to day to Ethan now.

"Yeah," Ethan agreed with Isaac's 'um'. He didn't know what to say either. They were supposed to hate each other. So why did it take two people to pull them off of each other?

"The Three Fs," Isaac leaned toward Ethan. "Now I think I get what Tyler meant." Ethan thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah," he agreed. "So now what?"

"Now," Isaac stood in front of the slightly shorter wolf. "We dance." Ethan wrapped his arms around Isaac's waist and pulled him closer. Yeah, he could get used to this.

Damon and Tyler stood off to the side of the dance floor and watched the two wolves for a moment to make sure that they wouldn't have to go interrupt them again.

"Brett sure called that," Damon chuckled.

"And tonight is apparently an 'I-want-to-rip-your-clothes-off' night," Tyler agreed. "Speaking of Brett, where is he?" The two vampires looked around the room for a few seconds until they spotted Brett sitting in a lounge with Liam, Mason, Bonnie, and Jeremy.

"We have got to get that kid someone to hook up with," Damon said meaning Mason.

"Totally," Tyler nodded in agreement.

Brett was having a blast. He was clubbing and relaxing not with friends, but with his family. His sister was safe with Dad and Brett was loving life. Brett caught Liam's eye. Liam had been staring at him off and on all night. Brett wasn't sure what to make of it or what to do about it, but it was driving him to distraction. Finally, Brett couldn't stand it anymore. He stood up, grabbed Liam's hand, and pulled him up too.

"Dance with me." Brett had meant for that to be a question or a request. Instead it came out sounding like a demand or an order. Liam allowed himself to be pulled to the dance floor by his friend. When Brett turned to face him Liam's face was serious. Not upset, just serious.

"I don't know how to dance," the younger man said. Brett just pasted that sexy smirk of his on his face, the smirk that had always made Liam a little weak in the knees, and took a step closer to Liam. He placed a hand on each of Liam's hips then ducked his head to Liam's ear.

"Can you feel the beat?" Brett's voice in his ear and the feel of his breath down the side of his neck caused Liam to shut his eyes. He wanted to block out all other sensations except for that. Slowly, Liam remembered that Brett had asked him a question. It took him a second to remember what it was, but then he nodded his head that he could, indeed, feel the beat of the music.

Liam could feel Brett's finger tapping out the beat on his hip. "Then just let your body move with it." Brett bent his knees slightly and began to move and sway with the pulse of the music. Liam lost himself in the feel of Brett's fingers on his hips and in watching the taller teen move seductively with the music. Suddenly, Liam found himself flush against Brett's hard body, as Brett had pulled him closer, his fingers digging ever so slightly in to his hips. The pressure was enough to bring a moan to his lips. He wasn't sure how, but he managed to keep it from escaping his lips.

"You're not moving," Brett leaned down and whispered in the other ear. The sound of Brett's voice, the feel of breath, the pressure of his hands, and the hardness of his body was all too much for Liam. He leaned his head back, with the eyes closed, and he couldn't help the small moan that passed his lips.

Brett looked down at the young man in front of him when he heard it. God, if that wasn't the sexiest thing he'd ever heard in his life. Liam's lips were parted ever so slightly and he was breathing heavily through his mouth. Brett had no idea where his sudden self-control came from but he was glad it showed up, because he seriously wanted to kiss those parted lips. He wanted to know if they felt as soft as they looked. He wanted to know if they would taste as sinful as he thought they would. But he'd promised himself that he'd never push Liam in to anything he wasn't completely ready for.

"God, you're beautiful." Brett wasn't sure if he'd meant to say that out loud or not, but it was too late now. Liam opened his eyes and Brett got lost in their deep sea-blue depths.

Slowly and hesitantly Liam softly placed his left hand on Brett's abs. Brett thought he would burst in to flames from the touch. Liam moved his hand up his stomach, to his chest where it lingered for just a moment. Brett was convinced it stopped there to feel the low rumble in his chest.

That was part of it, but Liam was actually feeling Brett's heartbeat. He was surprised to find that it matched his own. His hand then continued up toward the Brett's neck.

The instant that Liam's hand touched Brett's bare skin Brett moaned. He couldn't help it. He was on fire and he wanted more. Liam's fingertips skimmed the skin on the side of Brett's neck. When they settled in a firm grip on the back of his neck Brett thought he might lose all control right then. He'd watched as Liam's eyes had followed his hand, but now that his hand was still his eyes searched for Brett's. Brett's fingers reflexively squeezed Liam's hips bringing them in to closer contact. The sensation of their arousals brushing up against each other had the two boys moaning in pleasure. Brett brought his forehead to Liam's without ever breaking eye contact.

Brett wasn't sure how he managed to find the ability to speak again. "I swear to you I will never push you faster or farther than you are ready," Brett's voice sounded breathy and strained even to his own ears.

"I know," Liam wasn't sure any sound actually came out when he spoke but he knew that Brett heard him anyway. "I trust you with my life, and if you'll be just a little more patient with me I'll trust you with my heart and soul too."

Brett started shaking. His self-control was waning. He wasn't going to be able to not show Liam just how much he meant to him. "I can wait as long as you need." Brett closed his eyes against the onslaught of emotions swirling in Liam's eyes. He wouldn't be able to control himself if he stayed lost there. He wanted to tell Liam to please not wait too long because he was s hormonal teenager after all. But he somehow felt that it would belittle the moment. And he never wanted that. Brett gently pressed his lips to Liam's forehead and then stepped away. He took Liam's smaller hand in his larger one and intertwined their fingers as he led the shorter wolf back to the couch where several members of their family were sitting.

Part 21

"Wake up you lazy butts!" Lorilee yelled as she walked in to the Play Room where everyone was asleep in the Pit. She was answered by a half dozen pillow being thrown in her direction, which just made her laugh. Lydia turned to the young girl and opened her arms. The youngest sister of the family crawled over people, intentionally stepping on a few along the way, and cuddled up in the middle sister's hug.

"You ready for our girls' day out?" Lydia asked around a yawn. Lorilee nodded enthusiastically.

"Shopping with my two big sisters AND shopping with the whole family." The young girl beamed. "Seriously, does life get any better?" Lydia pulled her into a tighter hug.

"You are my favorite little sister," the red-head said, which caused the younger girl to giggle.

"I'm your only little sister," she snorted, swatting playfully at Lydia's arm.

"What are you girls doing today?" Derek asked confused. He thought the family was going shopping for bedroom supplies.

"We're having a girls' day out," Bonnie informed him.

"And yes," Lydia added. "We're still going with you all to pick out stuff for all the bedrooms. It's just that the three of us have other stuff we're going to do today too."

"Oh, okay." Derek had just wanted to make sure that the family was still going out. Then something dawned on him. "But before anyone does any kind of shopping, we need to take Brett and Lorilee over to pick up the rest of their stuff." 'And say goodbye to their alpha,' the thought remained unsaid, but everyone knew it was implied.

The room was silent for a few minutes before anyone spoke again. Lydia decided to break the tension and get everyone moving. "Then we better get up ladies. We have a busy day ahead of us." Once she was on her feet she helped the two other girls up. The three of them padded across the hall toward the smell of coffee and the sounds of Dad in the kitchen.

The guys all mumbled and groaned about crazy women, but it didn't take long for them to be headed across the hall themselves. Dad was at the stove flipping pancakes. Lydia was over in what they'd dubbed the Coffee Corner, where the coffee pot and the espresso machine were, making some fancy caffeinated beverage for herself. Lorilee was setting the table. And since Bonnie was missing, she was probably showering or changing.

Once everyone was seated and eating breakfast official plans were set. "Let's head over to pick up the last of Brett and Lorilee's things, then we can bring them here and put them on one of the other floors until the bedrooms are done." Derek turned to look at Brett. "Will what you guys need to bring fit in the SUVs or do we need to stop and pick up a moving van?"

Brett thought for a moment trying to gauge what was left at Satomi's. "We should be able to get it all in the SUVs," he confirmed. He was excited about moving all of their stuff into their new home. But at the same time it meant that he was going to be saying goodbye to his pack, and more importantly to his alpha. Liam could feel the contradiction of emotions rolling off of Brett. He placed his hand on Brett's thigh under the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. Just enough pressure for Brett to know that Liam was there for him. Based on the fact the Lorilee had her head on Jeremy's shoulder and he had his arm wrapped around her pulling her in to a sideways hug, she was feeling the same twisting of emotions.

Silence filled the room for a few minutes as people ate. "After we unload their stuff here then we can go shopping," Derek announced, trying to elevate the mood a little. "Has everyone decided which room they want yet?" That idea seemed to perk the family up. "Alright, finish eating and then you all can go claim a room." She smiled softly as the others started talking excitedly.

He glanced down the table to John who returned a proud, fatherly smile. Derek ducked his head as he lightly blushed. It had been so long since he'd had any type of fatherly approval that he was still trying to get used to it again. Derek missed his own father every day, but he counted himself so very blessed to have John . . . Dad . . . in his life now. He'd been worried about carrying the weight of the pack on his shoulders, since he thought he'd done such a crappy job of it last time he'd tried. But now he knew that even though he may end up with the title of Alpha, he didn't have to do it all on his own because this time he had a dad to guide him.

Within a few minutes people were scrambling from their chairs to go downstairs to pick out rooms. "Sit," John commanded. They looked at their "dad" and waited for the explanation that was sure to follow. "Not everyone is finished eating. So those of you that are can start cleaning up the breakfast dishes while the rest of us finish." He met the eyes of those that he'd called back to the table, daring them to argue. But, of course, no one did. Once everyone had finished eating and all the breakfast dishes had been cleaned up, John excused his "kids", some of whom actually ran from the table. Derek and John both shook their heads and chuckled at their antics.

As the two walked down the stairs Derek assessed the layout of the rooms. They were in a U-shape, with five rooms along each wall. He assessed the layout from a tactical standpoint and walked over to stand in front of the two rooms that would be the last to be 'hit' if they were ever attacked in their own home.

"Mason, Kiddo," Derek spoke loud enough to be heard over the voices echoing throughout the floor. "Come here please." The both made their way over. They just looked up at him expectantly. He pointed to the two rooms in front of him. "These two rooms are for you two," he informed them.

"But . . ." "How come . . ."

He held up a hand to stop them. "Please don't argue with me." His voice was gentle but there was a steel behind it that caused all the wolves to perk up their heads. That sounded like it held more than a little alpha in his tone. They quickly made their way over to make sure that everyone was okay. And all of the wolves walking over got the attention of the rest who then followed after.

"I thought you said we could pick our own room," Mason tried to be logical.

"You can," Derek replied. "As long as you two choose from these two rooms."

"What's up Derek?" John asked, hoping to defuse the situation.

"Just trying to keep the pups safe," he informed the sheriff. "These two rooms are the most difficult to get to as anyone would have to pass the entire length of either side of the floor in order to get to them. Therefore, Mason and Lorilee will be in these two." John, Jordan, and a few of the others studied the layout of the floor.

"Okay," John shrugged his shoulders. "Make sense to me." He crossed his arms across his chest and gave them his best "Dad" look. It worked for Lorilee who caved quickly. Mason, on the other hand, was still trying to come up with any reason that he shouldn't have to be assigned a room like a little kid.

"What about Brett and Liam," Mason pointed out. "You're letting them choose. And I'm the oldest of the three of us."

"You may be the oldest," Derek replied. "But out of the three of you, you're the only one that doesn't have claws and fangs." Mason let out a long sigh and hung his head. He knew he'd lost this argument. Derek was just trying to keep him safe; Mason knew he should be grateful. But sometimes he really hated feeling like a weak, little human. Seeing the resignation from Mason, Derek and the others turned to leave.

Ethan wrapped his arm around Mason's shoulder. "I can see the rest of your argument trying to sneak out of your mouth." The wolf pulled the human closer for a side hug. "If you were going to say that Dad doesn't have claws and fangs either, remember that he's the Sheriff and he carries a gun loaded with wolf's bane bullets."

Isaac stepped up to Mason's other side and wrapped and arm around his shoulders the other direction so that the human was sandwiched between the two wolves. "And if your last argument is about Stiles being human but not carrying a weapon," he pointed toward where Stiles stood close to Derek. "Do you really think that Stiles will have a room to himself?" Mason watched Stiles and Derek for a moment before agreeing with the two wolves. "Come on little brother," Isaac pulled on his shoulder and effectively turned all three of them to face the bedroom doors. "Pick out which one you want and we'll take the room next to it?"

"Oh, we will, will we?" Ethan raised an eyebrow at the tall blonde.

"I didn't mean it that we'd share a room," Isaac rolled his eyes at the former alpha. "I was thinking more like we'd take the next two."

"Am I suddenly not good enough to share a room with?" Ethan retorted, glaring at Isaac. Mason just leaned his head back a little and watched the verbal tennis match that was playing out over his head.

"I'm not going to be able to dig myself out of this hole. Am I?" Isaac asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Not a chance," Ethan replied, a small grin making its way to his mouth.

"Fine," Isaac capitulated. "Let's just help Mason pick a room."

After having stopped at the local hardware store to pick up a bunch of boxes and packing tape, the family soon arrived at Satomi's house. There was plenty of activity there already as boxes and furniture were being loaded in to a large moving truck. Brett and Lorilee teared up a little at seeing it. It was all so real now. There was no turning back.

Satomi walked out of the house to greet the new arrivals. Derek bowed to the alpha. Lorilee and Brett meant to, they really did, but instead they found themselves wrapping the alpha werewolf in a hug. The small, bittersweet smile on Satomi's face had Lydia and Bonnie in tears. A few of the guys had teared up as well, but no one felt the need to mention it.

"I see you brought your whole family this time," Satomi pulled back to look at Derek.

"I thought it might help you feel a little better about allowing them to stay if you met everyone that would have a hand in keeping them safe," he replied. Satomi smiled and nodded in thanks. She withdrew from the two betas so that she could be introduced to the others that had accompanied them.

When she reached John he said, "I know that as a human my saying I'll protect them is a little silly. But I give you my word as both the Sheriff and as a father that I will do everything in my power to make sure these two know that they are safe and that they are loved. I already love them as if they were my own flesh and blood." He looked the alpha directly in the eye so that she could see the fierce protectiveness there, not just hear the steadiness of his heartbeat.

"A few years ago," she admitted. "A human promising to protect werewolves would have been met by me with skepticism and doubt. But," she looked toward Stiles with a soft smile on her face. "I have met a few humans who have been willing to lay down their lives for my kind." She looked back toward the Sheriff. "I do believe you when you say you will love them as your own. That is all any parent, biological or not, could ever want for their child." She smiled at the human who in turn smiled knowingly and bowed his head in respect.

As the others followed Brett and Lorilee into the house with the boxes Satomi turned to Derek with a knowing smirk. "And I thought that _he_ had an interesting pack. But it doesn't hold a candle to the diversity in yours."

Derek just laughed. "I know I'm working on becoming an alpha again to be able to claim the pups in order to keep them safe, but I'm not entirely certain that this group will ever constitute a pack." She looked at him carefully, since that is not what she'd expected him to say. "I just mean that we're already so much more than that. You were right the other day when you told Brett that you can find another outlet but not another family. That's what we are. We're a family. A crazy, mixed-up, loud, bizarre, loving, caring family. And Brett and Lorilee will always be a part of it. No matter who they honor as their alpha."

Satomi looked deep into Derek's eyes. She must have liked what she found because she smiled softly and said, "Your mother would be so proud of you." A rebellious tear escaped from Derek's eye. He swiped it away as she turned to lead him into the house.

Derek stopped outside Brett's room when he heard the sniffling. He peaked in the open door and saw Brett sitting on the edge of his bed, his arms around the waist of Liam, his head on Liam's chest as Liam stood in front of his friend, holding on tightly to him. Neither spoke, but the interaction was full of words and intents. Derek quietly stepped away to find the other twelve people a squished in to Kiddo's room. She was a little quieter than her usual self, but the others were doing a wonderful job at keeping her distracted and busy. Derek leaned against the doorway and just smiled.

"Better?" Derek heard Liam ask Brett from the other room. He didn't hear a verbal response so it must have been a head nod. He wandered back toward the tall beta's room.

"Need some help?" He asked as he walked in. Brett looked up at his soon-to-be alpha with eyes red and puffy from crying. That was all it took to break Derek's resolve to be strong. He wrapped the young beta in a warm embrace as the young wolf began to cry again. "Let it out," Derek whispered. "You're safe now. There you go. Just let it all out."

After a few minutes Brett was able to calm himself back down. Derek gave him a questioning look that seemed to asked, are you okay now? Brett nodded to the unspoken question. The three wolves set about packing all of Brett's belongings in to the boxes. Clothes, books, pictures. Soon both rooms had been cleared out and all of the boxes loaded in to the three SUVs.

As the time to leave had arrived, Brett and Lorilee clung to their alpha. They didn't want to let her go, but they also knew that they couldn't go with her. Their places were with their new family now. The family leaned up against the trucks to offer their silent support to their family members. When the two betas turned away from Satomi Brett was immediately pulled into Liam's arms as he led him to one of the 4Runners, and Lorilee was picked up by Tyler who carried the crying girl to the other 4Runner. No one said anything the entire ride back to their home. Unloading the boxes on to the second floor took much less time than loading the boxes in to the SUVs had.

"Remind me again why I agreed to this?" Derek asked John as he leaned his head back against the column in the middle of the store. He could hear his family bickering with each other throughout various parts of the store.

"Because you love them, for one," John smiled at him. "And because this is still less of a headache than they would cause if you hadn't let them come pick things out for themselves." Derek pinched the bridge of his nose. He could feel the tension headache coming on. "I don't envy you your ability to hear every word they're saying throughout the entire store. I can only hear Ethan and Isaac and they're enough to make me want to put wolf's bane-laced duct tape over their mouths." That got a small chuckle from Derek.

"But then I really listen to what it is they're bickering about," John continued. "They're arguing over what color to paint the wall in THEIR room. Theirs. A week ago, hell a few days ago, I wasn't sure if they'd be able to live in the same building. And now their willingly talking about sharing a room." John placed his hand on Derek's shoulder. "Seems to me an improvement that is well worth some bickering."

Derek smiled his little half-smile and chuckled. "Yeah. You're right." He looked over to the sheriff. "But I still stay we keep the duct tape on hand for just in case." Both men laughed.

"We heard that!" Came the unison reply from a few isles over.

"You ready for this?" Lydia asked Lorilee as the cosmetologist stood behind her seated form with comb and scissors at the ready. Lorilee took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I am," she said. "Let's do this."

The three girls had taken off after they'd picked out what they wanted in their rooms. Now, the rest of the day was just for them. Less than an hour later they left the salon with a spiky-haired Lorilee grinning happily. Now, off to do some clothes shopping. Derek had slipped Lydia a few hundred dollars in cash to pay for everything. It was several hours later that they finally made it home.

The first thing that Lydia noticed when she pulled in was the difference in vehicles. Apparently Bonnie noticed too.

"Where's our rental car?" They looked around the parking lot but couldn't find it.

They may not have thought anything of it, except where the rental car had been parked the last few days there now sat a new Nissan Armada. Lydia looked at the other vehicles a little more closely. There were several newly purchased vehicles, if the temporary license plates were anything to go by. In addition to the Armada there was a bad-ass looking GMC Suburban and a four door Ford F-350 truck.

The three girls just shot each other questioning glances before heading upstairs to try to get some answers. They walked in to the dining room where most of the guys were arguing, though thankfully not a particularly heated argument. Derek was in his new favorite position, one hand pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Did we miss something?" Lydia asked. All eyes swung to look at the girls and then stopped and stared at Lorilee.

"Aw, hell," Ethan mumbled earning narrowed eyes from Lydia and Bonnie.

"It was going to be difficult enough keeping the guys away from her when she got older," Isaac pointed out by way of explanation. "And that was when she was a tom-boy." He waved his hand up and down toward Lorilee. "Now you've gone and turned her in to a girl and we'll never be able to keep them all away." Bonnie and Lydia relaxed when they realized what the guys meant.

"We didn't turn her into a girl, dufus," Lydia smiled at the blonde. "She was already a girl."

"We just allowed her to be free to be the kick-ass girl that she is," Bonnie grinned down at the youngest sister.

"Make it stop," Brett whined playfully. "Make her stop growing up. She's supposed to still be a little kid." Lorilee giggled at her older brother.

"You're such a dork, Brett," she teased.

"What'd I miss?" Daman asked as he sauntered into the room. He looked Lorilee up and down. "Damn it, girl. You clean up nice." He winked at her, setting off another round of giggles.

Damon tossed a set of keys to Derek who let out a long, heavy sigh. "And what's this one?"

"The last one. I promise." Damon said. "It's a 15 passenger van." Lydia and Bonnie looked back and forth between Damon and Derek; they'd obviously missed something. Then something occurred to Bonnie who was much more familiar with how Damon's brain worked.

"Oh, Damon," Bonnie sighed. "Please tell me you didn't."

"Oh, he did," Derek snarked.

"He did do what?" Lydia was getting more confused by the minute.

"Compulsion," was Derek's short answer. It took Lydia a second to get all the half-thoughts in her head to make any sense. Then it dawned on her.

"Oh," she drug out the word once she realized what had happened. "Do you think that would work on my credit card bill?" She asked the vampire. He smirked at her in return.

"Lydia," Derek sighed. She turned to face him with a big smile on her face letting him know that she'd been teasing.

"Look, Derek," she said walking over to him. She gently took the keys out of his hand and set them on the counter. "It's after seven, it's been a crazy day, and we're all cranky and exhausted. I say we pop some popcorn, change in to some comfy pajamas, and go crawl into the Pit and fall asleep watching some stupid rom com that we've all seen a bazillion times. And let's leave all talk of cars until tomorrow. Sound good?"

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her in to a hug. "Sounds good." He kissed the top of her head then let her pull away. "Kiddo, Pretty Boy," Brett groaned earning a twinge of a smile from Derek. "Go pick out something to watch. I'll start the popcorn. Isaac, reach up there," Derek pointed above the cabinets. "And get down a couple of big bowls. Everyone else, go get changed."

Part 22

Sunday was a fairly calm affair. There were no urgent plans; nothing that had to be done. It was nice change of pace from the last few days. They started the day with a late breakfast, or as Lydia continued to remind them, Sunday Brunch.

"Liam," Derek said to the youngest wolf. "Do you know if your step-dad is working today?"

"Not sure," Liam answered. "I can ask. Why?"

A small smile twitched at Derek's lips. "I was thinking about taking the lacrosse players shopping to make sure that you all have what you need for your first day at practice, and I wondered if he'd like to join us." Liam grinned.

He jumped up from the table and nearly ran to get his phone off the coffee table in the front room. He started texting as he walked back to the dining room table.

"What time?" Liam asked, reading the question off the screen.

"Whenever works best for him," Derek replied. Liam text the response.

"About an hour," Liam read.

"Tell him that we'll pick him up, that way you can get any stuff from your parents' house that you might want," Derek told him.

An hour later Derek, Liam, Brett, Stiles, Jeremy, Isaac, and Ethan had arrived at the Geyer house in the new 15 passenger van. Liam gave his mom a big hug then all the players went up to Liam's room to pack a few more things. Derek and Mark stayed downstairs to talk with Liam's mom, Karen.

"So what are you boys up today?" Karen asked.

"We're taking the boys to get new lacrosse gear," Mark explained to his wife. "Tomorrow will be the first time that a couple of them have ever officially played."

"That's very sweet of the two of you." She placed her hand on top of her husbands. "Just try not to be out too late. He may be staying with his friend, but it is still a school night," she reminded them.

"Yes, ma'am," Derek answered. He was saved from having to make any more small talk by the thundering of feet down the stairs.

"They sound like a herd of elephants," Karen joked. Mark and Derek glanced at each other and smiled. Definitely a pack of wild animals of some kind, the two men thought.

The eight men piled in the van and drove to the mall which housed the largest sports equipment store in Beacon County. It took over an hour to get all the sizes right and to find everything that the boys would need for practice the next day. As they were walking toward the check out, something caught Derek's eye. He turned the corner and saw a pool table. As he looked around that section of the store he noticed that it held almost everything that he had been wanting to get for the Play Room. He walked around and took tags off of the things he wanted and then headed to the register with the others.

The sales clerk was already fairly surprised at the sheer amount of lacrosse equipment they were getting. But when Derek laid the tags of the counter of the larger items the boys we worried that the kid's eyes might pop out of his head.

"Do you all deliver?" Derek asked the kid behind the counter. The clerk was so dumbfounded at the total on the screen that he could only shake his head.

Derek reached in to his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a banded pack of $100 bills, which totaled $10,000. Since the grand total was just shy of that Derek handed the whole pack to the clerk. The clerk had to call his manager to come up to count the money since it was in a pack. The patient smile never left Derek's face. Once it was all counted Derek handed the van keys to Mark and asked him to go unlock the doors so that the boys could put their lacrosse stuff in it. Mark led the boys outside while Derek went with the store manager to load the large item on to a dolly to wheel them outside.

The boys were walking back in to the store just as Derek was about to walk out with the box-filled dolly. Ethan and Isaac took over pushing for him while he made a phone call.

"Damon," Derek said when the vampire answered his phone. "Bring the truck down here, would ya'? We bought of couple of big items that won't fit in the van."

"Do I want to know?" He asked.

"Stuff for the Play Room."

"We're on our way," the vampire replied sounding both curious and excited, and then ended the call. About twenty minutes later the new truck pulled up next to the van and out climbed Damon, Tyler, John, Jordan, and Mason.

"What'd ya' get?" Tyler asked as he helped load the large boxes in to the back of the truck.

"Stuff I've been wanting to get all week," Derek answered. "A pool table, an air hockey table, a dart board, and a poker table." The longer the list got the more the eyes of all of the other males seemed to light up.

"Best. Day. Ever!" Stiles exclaimed. The others smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

Part 23

"Wakey, wakey," Kiddo sing-songed as she crawled around the Pit poking at the students who would be starting school today. "You have to get ready for school." She giggled as Ethan waved his hands at her as if he was swatting at a fly.

"Cutest alarm clock ever," Isaac grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down on the pillows next to him. Then he and Ethan proceeded to tickle her until she begged for mercy.

"Breakfast is ready," Derek called out from the kitchen. The groggy occupants shuffled their way across the hall. Within the hour, the eight teenagers we headed toward the front door.

"Here." Damon tossed Jeremy the keys to the Suburban. "I got this one for you guys." When they got in to the SUV they understood why. Where a normal Suburban would have two bucket seats in front, a middle bench that sat three, and a third row that held two or three, this particular SUV had a different third row. Instead of being parallel to the middle row, there were two short benches perpendicular to it, along the sides of the interior, with seating for two on each side. There was also a door handle on the inside of the back door allowing occupants to exit without someone having to be on the outside to let them out. It also meant that no one had to crawl over any seats to get out.

Mason, Liam, and Stiles sat in the back; Isaac, Ethan, and Brett sat in the middle row; Jeremy drove and Lydia was in the front passenger seat. When they got to the school the parking lot was already fairly full. Seeing the dark green Suburban pull in people were turning to watch. As every door of the SUV opened the student body stared as person after person spilled out. The wolves could hear people all over the parking lot whispering.

"That's Lydia Martin." "Is that Isaac Lahey?" "Which twin is that?" "I thought that kid when to the snobby prep school."

The eight students strutted in to the school. Lydia was at the helm with Isaac and Ethan a step behind her on either side. Without meaning for it to happen the two humans had been placed in the center for protection. People automatically moved out of their way as they entered the school. There was something about the group that was palpably dangerous. The four new students broke off and entered the administration office while the other four continued on to their lockers. It didn't take long until the transfer students were back in the hallway with them.

"That didn't take long," Lydia pointed out.

"Damon's good at what he does," Jeremy told her. "He told them to have everything ready by the time we got here, so they did." He shrugged his shoulders. It had taken him some getting used to, but by now he was used to Damon's compulsion working in his favor.

The first half of the day went by quickly and they all met up for lunch at an outside table.

"How's everyone's day so far?" Stiles asked as he shoved a large bite of food into his mouth, earning him an eye roll from Lydia.

"Just like it was the last time I was here," Isaac answered. Ethan nodded, having had almost the exact same thought, as he reached over and stole a fry from Isaac's tray.

"Brett? Jeremy?" Stiles enquired.

"It's more laid back than Devenford," Brett told him as he leaned over to shoulder Liam who just nodded in agreement and smiled at the tall blonde. "But school's school, regardless of the building."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Jeremy fist bumped him across the table.

"Remember that we're meeting with Coach as soon after classes as possible," Stiles reminded the players. They nodded as they continued to eat their lunches.

When the final bell for the day rang the family met at Stiles' locker since it was centrally located to everyone else's. The six players grabbed their gym bags and headed off to Coach's office as Lydia and Mason headed out to sit in the bleachers to watch practice.

"Coach?" Stiles knocked on the door and then stuck his head in the office. Coach Finstock looked at and waved him in.

"You better have good news for me Stilinski," Coach barked.

"Better than that, sir," Stiles answered. "I brought bodies." He stepped inside the office and swung the door open all the way, allowing the other five brothers to follow him in.

"Holy God," Coach breathed. "It's true." He watched as they casually strolled in. Ethan and Isaac sat in the chair across from Coach's desk, Brett and Jeremy stood behind them. Stiles and Liam stood off to the side of the desk between it and the now closed office door.

"Coach," Stiles started. "I believe you already know two of my brothers," he indicated to the two sitting boys. "The two in the back are Brett Talbot," Brett nodded his head once, "and Jeremy Gilbert." He too nodded his head once.

Coach studied the four teens in front of him for a moment. "So," he began. "Carver, Gilbert, I understand you two have never played lacrosse before."

"Not until this week," Ethan answered. "Liam's step-dad's been working with us to get us ready."

"Good, good, glad to hear it," Finstock replied. "You as good as Stilinski said you'd be?" He raised an eyebrow at them.

"With or without our extra reflexes?" Ethan asked knowingly. A slow grin spread across Finstock's face.

"Both," he stated.

"Better with than without, obviously," Jeremy said, speaking for the first time.

"Okay, I gotta ask," Coach said. "Can you all do the flashy eye thing that Dunbar can?" The four boys cocked their heads at their youngest brother.

"Jeremy can't," Isaac answered for them. "But the other three of us can." As proof, they did. Coach just grinned.

"This is going to be the best season ever!" He drummed on his desk with his hands. "Okay, let's go." He stood up and walked to the door that led from his office in to the locker room where the lacrosse team was getting ready.

"Alright ladies," Coach hollered to get the attention of the players. "Listen up! I'm sure that most of you have noticed that we're down two players, our captain and our girl. But Stilinski and Dunbar here," Coach stepped out of the way enough to let those two player out of his office. "Have been kind enough to get some of their friends to come, and some to come back, to Beacon Hills High. I'm sure most of you remember Isaac Lahey." Coach allowed the tall blond to pass, who was met with cheers. "Some of you may even remember Ethan Carver." The twin stepped out from behind coach. He too was met was a positive response.

"We have a new senior from . . . somewhere else. Jeremy Gilbert." The tall brunette stepped over next to Ethan. He got a few cheers, but since no one had any idea who he was it was more than he was expecting. "And we have a new sophomore transfer student who realized Beacon Hills is so much better than Devenford Prep, Brett Talbot." When Brett stepped out of the office and stood next to Liam the locker room went nuts. Brett was the best player on the prep school's team and now he was going to be playing for the Cyclones. To say the team was excited was a bit of an understatement.

"Now," Coach interrupted. "I know we've been missing a captain this week, so effective immediately we're switching back to co-captains." The older boys on the team looked around the room remember Jackson and Scott. "Please congratulate your new captains: Isaac Lahey and Liam Dunbar."

The team cheered. Isaac had been expecting it for himself after Coach told him that he was looking for a new captain. But being able to share it with his little brother rocked. Brett had picked Liam up by the waist and spun him around once as he hugged him. No sooner had Brett set him on his feet than he was lifted off of them again by Isaac.

"I'm so excited," the older brother said.

"Me too," agreed Liam. "I did not see this coming."

"Enough celebrating," interrupted Coach. "Get you asses on the field!" He blew his whistle causing the team members to scramble to finish getting ready for practice.

Practice itself went smoothly, and the boys did great. The other team members were excited by how well the new members could play. After practice Coach called Stiles into his office.

"Well Stilinski," Coach said. "You kept your end of the deal so I'll keep mine. Unless you do something horribly stupid, which we both know is entirely likely, you'll get an A for the rest of the year in Econ."

"Thank you Coach." Stiles was grinning from ear to ear. He knew he probably looked like an idiot but he didn't care.

"Congrats," Isaac whispered as he came to stand the human. The new captain winked knowingly at him.

Part 24g fore was going to be onto crawl over any seats to get and Mason. t him. likely, you' the new members could pla

"How was school today?" John asked as they all sat down for dinner. "Did practice go okay?"

The students nodded. "School was fine," Jeremy answered for them. "At practice, when Coach announced that Brett had transferred schools and was playing for Beacon Hills, I thought they were going to pick them up on their shoulders and carry him to the field." The others laughed and Brett blushed furiously.

"Shut up, Jer," he grumbled. "It wasn't like that."

"It was totally like that," Liam chimed in from seat next to Brett. Brett glared down at Liam, at least until a mischievous look found its way to the taller wolf's face.

"Speaking of being carried around by the players, they were super excited about the new captains." Liam mock-glared at Brett.

"Captains?" Derek asked. "As in plural?"

The players all nodded enthusiastically, except Liam who had his head down blushing. "Coach announced that we're going to have co-captains," Ethan explained. "Isaac, who we all expected. But we were all more-than-pleasantly surprised when he announced that Isaac's co-captain is none other than our very own little brother."

The non-players all looked to Liam to congratulate him when then saw that he had his face buried in his hands. "Why are you embarrassed?" Damon wanted to know. "I would've thought that this would be a good thing."

"It is a good thing," Liam mumbled into his hands. Brett pulled Liam's hands away from his face and held them in his large hands. "It's just . . . today was supposed to be about the others, not me."

"Are you worried that we'll think you're trying to steal our spotlight?" Brett asked softly. The nearly-imperceptive nod of Liam's head was his only answer. "Oh, Liam," Brett pulled Liam into a hug. "That thought NEVER crossed any of our minds. We're just so excited for you." Liam hid his face in Brett's chest.

Isaac came over and crouched by Liam's chair and turned it around so that he could see his little brother. "Liam," Isaac rubbed the small wolf's back. "Would you be mad at me if Coach hadn't named you co-captain?" Liam shook his head. "Would you have been upset if the he'd announced that my co-captain was Stiles instead of you?" Again, Liam shook his head. "Of course not. We're family. And family celebrates each other's triumphs as well as consoles each other's losses."

Liam turned his head so that he could see Isaac crouching next to him. "Really? You're not mad that Coach didn't make you the only captain?"

"Oh my dear, sweet, baby brother," Isaac pulled on Liam's far shoulder bringing the youngest wolf to lean into him. "I am so excited about it that I can't even put it in to words." Liam really looked at Isaac and tried to get a read on his heartbeat and chemo signals. He was telling the truth.

Liam didn't say anything, he just wrapped his arms around Isaac's shoulders and hugged his big brother. The others at the table just smiled softly at the scene before them. It occurred to several of them that even though they all tended to forget it, Liam was still not even sixteen yet. And that it was only a week and a half ago that he was attacked and betrayed by his alpha, the one person that should've been his protector from all the bad in the world. No wonder the kid was stressed that the older boys would be mad about Coach naming him a co-captain.

Liam finally pulled back from the hug. "Better?" Isaac asked. Liam smiled softly.

"Yeah, thanks." He answered quietly. When Liam sat in his chair and turned in back to the table, Brett took Liam's left hand in his larger right hand. They sat like that throughout the rest of dinner. And if anyone else noticed they were kind enough to not say anything about it.

Tuesday morning found Tyler walking down the hallway of Beacon Hills High. He had text Lydia and she said she'd meet him in her mom's classroom since her mom had a prep period and Lydia would be in there doing homework. Tyler saw the top of her head as he approached the door; she was writing in a notebook. He could hear someone else shifting papers around; Lydia's mom, he concluded.

"Lyds," Tyler stuck his head in. "I'm glad you had a sec. I wanted to talk to."

Whatever else he may have wanted to say died on his lips when he glanced over to see Mrs. Martin at her desk. His stopping mid-sentence had Lydia look up worried. Tyler looked like he'd seen a ghost. He took a small step towards Lydia's mom and then stopped. Lydia could see the veins under his eyes trying to come out; he was trying to suppress it but his vampire side was fighting to come out.

Instinct had Lydia talking loudly into thin air. "Guys. My mom's classroom. Now." She stood and slowly walked to stand between Tyler and her mom. "Tyler's here and he's shifting."

" _Guys. My mom's classroom. Now_." The word that seemed to be floating through the air caught their attention. Something was freaking Lydia out. Ethan and Isaac cocked their heads to the side to listen to whatever was going on. Seeing the two werewolves on edge got the attention of Jeremy and Stiles.

"Mr. Lahey. Mr. Carver," Coach Finstock tried to get their attention.

" _Tyler's here and he's shifting._ "

"There's an emergency Coach," Isaac flashed his eyes a little so that Coach would know better than to ask questions right then.

"Go!" He waved toward the door as the four seniors took off.

Halfway to Mrs. Martin's room the four ran into, almost literally, the three sophomores. No one said anything, they just ran as fast as they could. The seven of them burst into the classroom just as Tyler started to stalk toward Lydia and her mom. Ethan and Isaac grabbed one arm and shoulder and Liam and Brett grabbed the other arm and shoulder and tried to hold the hybrid back. Stiles and Mason went to stand with Lydia as a sort of human wall. Jeremy was trying to figure out what set off his friend. He had turned to ask Lydia when he saw her.

Carol Lockwood. Tyler's dead mother.

Jeremy reached into his pocket and grabbed his phone. "Get to Lydia's mom's classroom now. Tyler's losing it." There was a pause as Jeremy listened. "One word, Damon. Doppelganger." He has just put his phone in his back pocket and had turned around to hold back his friend when the classroom door opened.

Damon stepped into Tyler's personal space and wrapped his had around the hybrid's throat. "Tyler, calm down." Seeing his words have no effect Damon tightened his grip until it began to cause Tyler enough physical pain to bring him back to the present. Tyler blinked several times and then realized that Damon was directly in front of him. Once Tyler seemed to regain his bearings Damon let go of his throat. "Let me find out what's going on," the vampire spoke quietly to the hybrid. Tyler nodded as he ceased his struggling against the werewolves that had been holding him.

"Damon?" Lydia turned his name into a question. "What's going on?"

Damon slowly walked over to the humans on the other side of the room. "Is this your mom, Lydia?" He asked instead of answering her question. Lydia nodded her head confused. Damon stepped into Mrs. Martin's personal space and inhaled deeply through his nose trying to find her scent. He spun to face Tyler. "It's close, but not the same."

Tyler's shoulders dropped a little. He hadn't known what he wanted the result to be. But just knowing for sure was helpful.

Lydia crossed her arms across her chest. "Explain," she demanded with an eyebrow raised.

"Your mother is the spitting image of his," Damon explained. They'd all shared enough of their pasts this last week that she knew that Tyler's mom was dead. No wonder he freaked out, she thought.

"Who are you?" Damon demanded of the teacher.

"Na . . . Natalie Martin," she stuttered. She had no idea what was happening but she was starting to freak out.

"Are you a doppelganger?" The vampire asked in his usual direct manner.

"No," she answered honestly. But then something occurred to her.

"More like 'not exactly'," Isaac spoke first for the wolves. They'd all heard her heart hitch.

"When is a doppelganger not a doppelganger?" Stiles asked rhetorically. "Riddles. My favorite." He deadpanned.

Damon took another long inhale of Natalie's scent. "Not a doppelganger," he said. "A twin."

All eyes landed on Mrs. Martin as her heartbeat started hammering inside her ribcage. Her eyes were huge. She look partially shocked and partially scared.

"How . . ." she stumbled on the words. "How did you know?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders. "Lucky guess," was his sarcastic response.

"Mom," Lydia breathed out. "You're a twin?" She'd never said anything about it.

"The last time I saw my sister was when we were ten years old," Natalie began to explain. "We lived just outside of Roanoke, Virginia. Our mother brought me out here to California and our father moved her back to his hometown a couple hours away from where we lived." Natalie walked to the nearest chair and collapsed in it. It had been thirty years since she'd seen, or talked about, her sister.

"I haven't seen her since that day, though I've thought of her often." She looked up and met Tyler's eyes. "Especially about 21 years ago when she gave birth." Tyler's eyes went wide. "I felt it, you see. At the time I had no idea what was going on. But when I gave birth a few years later I knew that's what I'd felt. And I had no doubt that she felt it when I'd given birth too."

"She did," Tyler said quietly, lost in thought. He too sat in the chair closest to him. "I was only about three years old, but when something is so traumatic or out of place it stays with you. Ya' know?" He looked up at Lydia's mom. "I woke up because I heard her screaming. When I came into her bed room she was curled up on her bead, all sweaty. She was quiet for a moment and I thought I'd imagined it until she screamed again. It went on like that for some time. She'd get quiet and then she's scream again. My dad was gone on business and I don't know if she ever even knew I was in the room. But she kept saying one thing over and over again. Lee."

A sob escaped Natalie as she clasped a hand over her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "People shorten Natalie to Nat. She was the only person that ever shortened it to Lee."

Tyler cocked his head a little as he appraised his mother's twin sister. "So you're my aunt?" Tyler asked tentatively.

It took Natalie a moment to regain her composure enough to answer. She didn't think she'd be able to speak around the lump in her throat so she just nodded, happy tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Lydia was sobbing into Stiles chest, whether from sadness or joy was hard to tell. It looked, and to the wolves smelled, like both.

Natalie finally stood and walked over to Tyler on shaky legs. She took his face in her hands and really looked at his features. "Oh, my sweet Carol." She seemed to be speaking to her sister before she pulled Tyler to his feet and wrapped him in a motherly hug. The two clung to each other, both mourning the loss that no one but the other could understand.

Stiles nudged Lydia to go over to the hugging pair. She hesitantly made her way over. "Tyler," she spoke softly. The hug in front of her broke apart. "Does this mean that we're actually related? That we're really cousins?" She knew it did, but she was still in such a state of shock that her brain wasn't working quite as well as it normally did.

"Yeah, Lyds," he smiled down at her. "It does." He wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up in a hug.

"Actually," Stiles interrupted the moment. "Genetically speaking you're half sibling." He shrugged his shoulders when they turned to stare at him. "If you two were to have a blood test done, the mitochondrial DNA would the same in both of you since your mom's were, at one point, the same person, or cells." He explained.

Lydia and Tyler just looked at each other and then broke into huge smiles. He picked her back up in a hug but this time swung her around several times.

"I . . . uh . . ." Natalie interjected. "I have a question." Tyler set Lydia down and they both turned to look at the teacher. "Well actually I have several, but let's start with the most obvious. You're eyes aren't like most of the supernatural beings in this town so what are you?"

Lydia thought her jaw was going to hit the floor and a quick glance around the room showed that everyone was just as surprised as she was. "You know?" Was the only thing that would come out.

"I may not know exact details," Mrs. Martin explained. "But I know. I just didn't know that you did until that night at the boat house. When you knew what mountain ash was and how to use it I knew that you knew."

"Did you know what Grandma was?" Lydia asked.

"I knew that she knew things, but not why or how." Natalie shrugged.

"She was a Banshee," Lydia told her. "Like me." Natalie's eyes got wide.

"I have no idea what that is, but it sounds impressive." She smiled at her daughter. "And I'd like to hear about it soon. But first . . ." she turned to Tyler who still hadn't answered her question.

"I'm a hybrid." The look on Mrs. Martin's face clearly indicated that that wasn't nearly a good enough explanation. "I'm part werewolf, part vampire." Natalie didn't say anything, just studied her nephew's face for a moment. The look that settled there told them that she'd come back to that at a later time.

"And the rest of you?" She looked around the room. "You all must have some pretty incredible hearing to have heard Lydia call for help."

Ethan stepped forward and placed his hand on Tyler's shoulder. "Isaac, Brett, Liam, and I are werewolves. Stiles and Mason are human. Jeremy's a Hunter. And Damon is a vampire." Natalie really looked at each of them, and her eyes rested on Stiles.

"Does your dad know about any of this?" Lydia was the first to realize why her mom was asking about Stiles' dad.

"Oh my god," she banshee covered her mouth with her hand. "I'd forgotten that you two tried to go out a couple of times."

"Wait," Isaac spoke up. "Dad and your mom dated?" He kept looking between the two women.

"Never actually got to," Lydia clarified. "Something always came up. Last time it was a kanima-chimera attacking her and stabbing me with its tail." The occupants winced. Lydia looked at her mom. "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?"

"Come over?" Her mom was confused. "Don't you live with me?"

"Technically, I supposed," Lydia admitted. "But when was the last time that you actually saw me there?"

Her mom thought about it for a moment. "I don't remember," she conceded.

"Like I said," Lydia wrapped an arm around her mom's shoulder. "You should come over for dinner tonight. You can meet the rest of the family and Dad will be there."

"Your father will be there?" Natalie took a step away from her daughter.

"Not that sperm donor," Lydia insisted. "We all call Sheriff Stilinski Dad."

Relief washed over Natalie's features. "Well, in that case," she said. "What time and where?"

Part 25

Isaac sighed, running a hand through his crop of curly blonde hair as he stared out the large window built into the far wall of the new bedroom that he had taken, his bare feet on the cold cement floor. The window was much like Derek's own in what was now the kitchen/dining room. He had always loved the loft in the short time that he had lived there with Derek all those years ago, and being in his own version, which was almost an exact replica of Derek's, in a way made him feel like he was home. Which made no sense, really. He and Derek had fallen out pretty heavily in those days. But Derek was different now. They all were. Hell, even Isaac was. The time he had spent with Argent in Europe after Allison's death had been healing for the both of them, and while Isaac was able to fall asleep now without nightmares of her face haunting his dreams, he would always miss her.

He turned away from the window to take off the cardigan that he'd warn to school. He loved the feeling of the smooth softness against his skin. Once upon a time he had been sure to wear long sleeved clothing for the simple need to hide the bruises on his body inflicted by his father. But that wasn't exactly 'simple', was it? Licking dry lips Isaac stared down at his hands as he unbutton the heather grey cardigan, his fingers shaking as his thoughts turned to a time of his dark past where he had felt weak and helpless. When he finally got the button's to slide through the hole's he let out a growl of frustration and tore the cardigan from his body, tossing it carelessly to the floor.

Even though he was a werewolf now, he still had moments where his past lingered like a shadow on his back that he couldn't quite shake off. He hated those times. They made him feel weak and _human_ , and as much as he loved Stiles and Mason, Isaac couldn't help but associate being human with being weak. Not because of the humans in the pack, but because he remembered how vulnerable he had been as one.

Feeling his mood sour Isaac, once again, scrubbed a hand through his locks. He heard the sound of footsteps distantly down the hall and sighed a moment later when he caught the familiar scent. He moved to the door so he could open it before Ethan could even knock. He and the other wolf's relationship had been more than a little rocky in the beginning, and the only reason they had even agreed to have some sort of friendship between them was because Derek and the rest of the family had basically given them hell. There were still things about the wolf that Isaac found annoying, but if he was being completely honest he wasn't _all_ bad.

…And if he was being completely honest Isaac may or may not have hated him in the beginning because the guy had a scent about him that made Isaac's inner wolf whimper. Okay so that wasn't the entire reason, but it was enough for him to get pissed about. Because after Allison Isaac had decided to give up on the whole 'being in like' with someone thing. It just made things easier. Relationships could be messy; even just liking someone could be messy. Isaac had worked hard to put his life back together and the last thing he needed was to fall apart again.

Drawing straighter Isaac opened the door just as he heard Ethan pause outside of it. The two just stood there, staring at each other a moment before Isaac arched a brow in question.

Ethan gave a crooked grin, show casing an annoying dimple as a smug look came over his expression that Isaac didn't quite _yet_ want to not slap off. Hey. He was trying here. "Lydia's demanding you come to upstairs so we can all start getting ready for when her mom to come over."

Isaac sighed, but nodded his head. "Fine. Just tell her I'll be up in a minute." He made to shut the door but Ethan's hand shot out to slap against it suddenly, halting the process. Isaac frowned sternly at him.

"What's wrong?" The shorter wolf asked.

Isaac balked slightly, his eyes widening just a tad bit before he schooled his expression to one of annoyance. "What? What are you talking about?"

Ethan gave him a dry stare before crossing his arms over his chest, a very muscular chest, Isaac noticed. The darker-blonde wolf leaned his shoulder against the door frame and cocked his head, looking Isaac over in a slow once-over that had him shooting hot from both irritation and lust. He tried to quickly tamper the lust down, not wanting to give himself away.

"Something's wrong with you. You've got that look on your face."

Isaac scoffed, his face twisting and pinching. "What look on my face?" Cause yeah, he was insulted.

Ethan lifted a hand to point with his index finger in the general direction of Isaac's face, swirling his finger a bit. "That whole 'something's wrong with me but I'm going to try and make my face look constipated so no one realizes it' look. The one that Derek's practically the King of. But I'll give it to you, you're doing a pretty good impression."

Isaac shut his eyes for a split second, sucking in a deep breath to calm himself before opening them again. "Ethan, I'm fine. Now can you get out of my doorway?" He grated his teeth. "Please."

"We're a pack, you know? Well, almost. Family for sure." Ethan said as he strolled past Isaac and into his bedroom.

Isaac glared as his eyes followed him, all but slamming the door behind him because yeah, apparently Ethan wasn't leaving. "I'm aware of that, yeah."

"So a pack is supposed to be there for each other. To be open and honest. It's the only way it will work."

Isaac looked to the ceiling, begging for patience. "You want me to be open and honest? Okay. You're annoying as shit. There, happy?"

Isaac's words didn't seem to offend him, if anything Ethan seemed to grow even smugger as he walked around Isaac's apartment, touching things randomly as he went. Isaac locked his jaw and resisted a growl at the sight, because he knew what Ethan was doing. He was scent marking his apartment, his _personal space_ , and Isaac didn't doubt he was doing it for no reason other than to be an ass. First chance he got, Isaac was sneaking into the guy's bedroom and pissing on a wall.

"You know, you make those angry faces that you assume make you look intimidating, but really they just make you look like a petulant puppy. You gonna nip at my heel's next?" Ethan taunted.

Was he fucking serious?! Isaac clenched his hands into tight fists at his side, trying to control the urge to attack. "Are you deliberately trying to make me kick your ass?"

Ethan snorted, finally turning to begin walking back to him, stopping only when their chests were just shy of touching. Isaac narrowed his eyes and stood his ground, refusing to back away. "Please. After our last little tuff I'd say we're pretty evenly matched. Besides," Ethan reached out to lay a hand on Isaac's shoulder, and Isaac stared down at the appendage with a glare. "You know as well as I that you're not going to try and bruise this pretty face again."

Isaac grinned wolfishly. Well, hell. He had tried to play nice.

Ethan stumbled back from the first punch, his eyes going slightly wide like he honestly couldn't believe Isaac had hit him. His lip dribbled a small stream of blood before healing, while Isaac just stood there with a smug expression on his face, his brows arched in wait. Ethan stared down at the blood on his fingertips before laughing, actually laughing, and then he was cutting flashing blue eyes up at Isaac. They weren't filled with anger, though, but more so excitement, and that was almost worse. If Ethan got a thrill of them fighting, well, Isaac was just going to disappoint the Pack because if Ethan wanted a pissing match he definitely was going to get one.

He managed to dodge a blow from Ethan just in time, twisting on his feet and spinning until he was at Ethan's back. He locked his arm around the wolf's throat and grabbed his wrist to keep the wolf immobile. Ethan wheezed slightly before flailing against him, and then his head was slamming back hard against Isaac's nose. Isaac swore and stumbled away, his vision going blurry a moment. Before he could even see clearly Ethan was on him again, slamming his back into the wall and pressing up hard in Isaac's space. His arm was shoved against Isaac's chest, holding him in place, and their faces were so close their noses were almost touching. Isaac growled at him, his own eyes flashing yellow.

"I told you. You can't beat me, Isaac. You might as well just give up." Ethan all but purred into his face.

Isaac felt his hot breath ghosting against his cheek and growled even as he shivered, feeling heat pool low in his belly and settling between his legs, where his dick twitched in interest. He saw Ethan pause, his eyes going slightly glassy as his nostril's flared and he inhaled deep. Isaac took the opening and hooked his foot around Ethan's calf and tugged hard. The wolf let out a yelp as he went down, but his fists were still in the material of Isaac's shirt so Isaac went down with him. He landed against Ethan's chest, the air rushing from him in a hissed exhale. Ethan's arms automatically went around him and Isaac hissed against as the warmth of his touch seeped through his clothing directly into his skin. Even more pissed off now Isaac grabbed the material of his shirt and jerked him up slightly, slamming his fist into the werewolf's cheek.

Ethan grunted before his grip around Isaac tightened and then they were rolling until Isaac found his back to the floor and Ethan lying heavy atop him. He felt Ethan's hand go around his throat and thought that he was going to try and choke him, but when Ethan just gripped his jaw and shoved his head sideways, Isaac sucked in a hard gasp at the submissive position Ethan had forced him into. Red tunneled his vision and he gnashed his fangs at Ethan, wrapping his hands around Ethan's wrist and jerking his hold away. He slashed his claws instantly against Ethan's chest, shredding his shirt and seeing blood form. Ethan hissed in pain before grabbing Isaac's clawed hands and forcing them down above his head with an unexpected strength. Isaac felt fury seethe within him at the knowledge that Ethan might have been holding himself back before and he flailed his body, trying to push Ethan off of him.

His legs were already spread wide, pushed open as Ethan kneeled on his knees between them, and Isaac's movements only brought their bodies that much closer together, so when he felt Ethan's straining length pressing against him he sucked in a breath of surprise, his eyes widening slightly.

"I told you." Ethan breathed down at him, a hard glint in his eyes. "You can't beat me."

Isaac immediately forgot about Ethan's obvious arousal and his own quickly growing one, and snapped his jaws up at him again, nearly getting to the soft skin of his neck. Ethan swore and with one hand caged in both of Isaac's wrists, and with his other hand gripped Isaac's neck again, forcing his head once again slightly to the side so his neck was bared. Isaac released a low, rumbling growl even as his body stilled into tautness. But the fiery rage in his eyes never died as he glared up at Ethan, his chest rising and falling in sharp breaths.

"You'd fight me every step of the way, wouldn't you?" Ethan breathed low against him, an almost awed look on his face. "Even if your body wants to submit your mind just won't let you."

Isaac laughed humorlessly, glaring up at him. "If you don't get off of me, you'll see exactly how much I won't submit."

Ethan grinned slowly, his lips tugging up at one corner, while his eyes roamed over Isaac again slowly. Isaac felt his entire body burn hot while he growled and flashed his eyes, and Ethan laughed softly, shaking his head. "Everything you do is a contradiction."

Isaac began to struggle again, and had managed to get one of his hands free when suddenly Ethan's hand at his jaw was turning his head again and Isaac stiffened when the wolf's mouth clashed hard against his own. He sucked in a shocked breath of air, and Ethan used the opening to slide his tongue into the hot cavern of Isaac's mouth. Isaac's gasp quickly turned into a moan, and he felt his body grow pliant under Ethan even as he was shoving at his chest. Ethan ate at him like he was starving, his lips demanding and relentless, and as much as Isaac didn't want to, he loved being ravished so. But he refused to let the wolf think that he had won, so instead he clashed his own tongue against Ethan's, kissing him back with equal passion. Ethan growled and finally released his wrists, and Isaac immediately pushed himself up, crowding against Ethan and not breaking the kiss. He waited for Ethan to grow slack with the belief that Isaac wouldn't try to attack him again, and then Isaac pushed hard against his chest. As Ethan fell backwards he followed him, straddling his hips and bending down to capture his lips again. Ethan grinned against his mouth before their kiss deepened once more, and then the wolf was grinding up against Isaac. Isaac broke away from the kiss with a low moan, his lids growing heavy and his pupils shooting wide. He felt hands grabbing at his shirt and then it was tugged over his head. Coming out of his daze Isaac glared down at Ethan and ripped the shredded remains of his shirt from his body, cocking a brow in challenge.

Ethan's own eyes flashed in glee before his long fingers were at the fly of Isaac's pants. Isaac stiffened slightly, and Ethan gave him a little smug grin of victory that absolutely pissed him the hell off. Gnashing his teeth together Isaac reached down and began to unbutton Ethan's jeans as well before abruptly standing and pushing both his own boxers and jean's down, stepping out of them. He glared at Ethan, waiting to see what he would do. Ethan's eyes roamed over his body a moment, his every gaze like a hot caress against Isaac's skin that left him aching and needy. Finally the other wolf was standing and pushing his own jean's away, and then they were both standing in front of each other naked.

Isaac swallowed hard, allowing himself a moment to just run his gaze over Ethan's well sculpted form. His wide shoulders and defined peck's. He looked down at a heavily muscled stomach and then lower still, feeling his mouth water at the sight of Ethan's long, hard length straining up against his stomach. He felt his own dick twitch and pulse in need, and resisted the urge to palm himself to try and curb off the ache. Ethan's eyes were locked on his cock, and Isaac nearly moaned when he felt a hot surge of precum drip from his slit. Feeling like his own body was a traitor Isaac surged forward less he embarrass himself by cumming just from Ethan's eyes on him and shoved the man against the wall, seeking out his mouth again.

The kiss was different this time. It was bruising and fighting, and Ethan's hands were masking his naked body even as Isaac's sought to do the same to Ethan's. Isaac felt himself tremble at every caress. Ethan wasn't barely grazing his fingertips across his skin, he was hungrily grasping and touching, spreading his scent onto Isaac in a way that made Isaac's inner wolf whine. A part of him wanted to roll over and bare his belly to Ethan, but Isaac's own stubborn personality just couldn't allow himself to give in like that, and for a moment it was like Isaac clashed within himself, the dominant aspect of himself sneering at a part of him that just wanted to be submissive and allow himself to finally _feel_. To give up all control and find out where that lead him.

Ethan's hands on his body lowered, until his grip was curling tight around Isaac's cock, and Isaac pulled away from those tempting lips to suck in a gulp of air, his knee's growing weak and before he could find his strength again Ethan was pushing him down to the floor. He was so drunk with lust that he allowed it. He wasn't aware that he was whimpering audibly until Ethan was whispering and cooing into his ear, and then Isaac was being twisted around until he felt Ethan's sculpted chest at his back. He stiffened instantly, snapping out of his haze with a growl. They were both kneeling on the floor, and Ethan had one arm wrapped around his middle, pumping slowly at his cock, while the other was curled around the front of his neck. Isaac's hips rutted forward with a will of their own even as his hand reached up to fist hard in Ethan's hair and yank, dislodging his mouth from the nape of Isaac's neck where he had been placing hot kisses.

Ethan hissed in pain at the hard tug, but made no move to release his hold and Isaac growled again in a low, warning tone. Ethan chuckled against his ear even though Isaac could smell the pain radiating off of him. "Why are you fighting so much?" The wolf said in a low, seductive rumble. "You know you want me to fuck you."

Isaac closed his eyes and shivered at his words, groaning when Ethan's thumb brushed over the slit of his penis and spread the thin fluid there hot against his head. And Jesus Christ Isaac did want to be fucked by him. He wanted to spread his legs and beg Ethan to stretch him wide and open. To feel him rutting against him with such force that his knees grew red and raw. Isaac could smell his own lust pouring out of him and his knee's shifted wider on instinct. Ethan growled approvingly behind him, lifting his hand to pry each finger of Isaac's from his hair until he was forcing his hand back to Isaac's side. He released Isaac's cock then, and Isaac's body shifted forward, desperate to reconnect as he whimpered at the loss. Ethan shushed him, brushing the tip of his nose against Isaac's ear before taking a long lick there, nibbling at his earlobe. The chills that raked Isaac's body left him panting.

Ethan's free hand curled around to Isaac's shoulder then, and began to slowly push him forward. Isaac barely had time to break his fall with his one free hand so he wouldn't face plant into the floor. Ethan still continued to push him down, though, until Isaac's cheek was pressed against the cold floor beneath him. The entire way Isaac growled low, like a cornered wild animal on the verge of attacking. Ethan finally released his other hand and Isaac immediately pressed it against the floor. He felt Ethan slide his hand down from his shoulder onto his back and breathed heavily against cement floor, seeing a swirl of dust dance and sparkle in the low light of the bedroom. He scrunched his nose against the smell of it while Ethan's hand continued it's decent until his palm was sliding over the round globe of one of his ass cheeks.

"I'd take my time with you if I thought you wouldn't fight me every step of the way." Ethan murmured behind him, and Isaac felt his breath shocking close on his lower back. "Slide my tongue over every inch of your skin." He drew off, and Isaac cut his gaze sideways to see Ethan sucking on fingers from his peripherals, and he shivered at what it might mean. "I'd taste you. Here." Isaac sucked in a sharp gasp when felt wet fingertips pressing against his hole, massaging deeply. He whimpered, closing his eyes and trying to dig his claws into the floor beneath him. "Lick over you until you begged me for more, and then I'd push my tongue in." As he said the last words one of his fingers pressed, and broke past the ring of Isaac's hole. He felt his body's natural resistance make him tighten and clench around Ethan's finger, and it made the burn slightly hotter than it already was. Ethan leaned over him to nip at his hip before laving the spot with his tongue, whispering against his skin. "Easy."

Isaac tried to relax his body as best as he could, but as Ethan began to move his finger, to slowly pump in and out of him, he couldn't seem to calm down. His claws ground harder against the cement floor, splintering his claws. He felt himself being stretched further then and groaned when a second finger pushed its way through. The burn intensified, but as Ethan curled his fingers inside of him and rubbed against somewhere deep within, suddenly the burn didn't matter anymore; because Isaac was so overcome with shocking pleasure that it took all he had to remember to breathe. His hips pushed backwards against Ethan, seeking more, and Ethan breathed out a slightly shaking breath as he continuously hit against Isaac's prostrate again and again.

Isaac felt himself teetering on the edge, his heart pounding in his chest and a fine sheen of sweat covering his body. His dick was leaking and pulsing desperately, and Isaac reached down to touch himself, needing to push past whatever limbo Ethan had him locked in.

"No, no." Ethan captured his wrist and pulled it up hard against his hip, making Isaac twist at a slightly awkward angle and whimper. "You're not allowed to touch yourself."

Isaac growled, cutting his eyes over his shoulder again. "Fuck you." He bit out at Ethan.

Ethan grinned. "I intend to." And then his fingers were pulling out, but before Isaac even had time to mourn their loss Ethan's was leaning forward and his mouth was on his lips.

Isaac let out a loud, throaty moan, his body growing slack again as Ethan tongued at him in a wet, sloppy manner. It only lasted a few seconds before he was pulling away again, and then his hand was gripping the back of Isaac's neck and holding tight, his other digging into his hip. When Isaac felt the head of Ethan's cock press against his hole, he grew tense, holding his breath and waiting with wide eyes.

"Relax." Ethan said over him, his tone almost commanding.

Isaac wanted to glare and curse at him for using the tone in the first place, but then Ethan was pushing forward and Isaac doubted he would have been able to speak even if he wanted to. Inch by slow, burning inch Ethan slid forward, and Isaac had been holding his breath for so long that he was afraid he would pass out. By the time Ethan finally bottomed out, his lungs felt close to bursting and Isaac sucked in a gulp of air, panting. The stretch was painful, and if it weren't for the little shocks of pleasure surging through him it would have been unbearable. Isaac imagined it would have been easier if they had taken the time to prepare him, but when Ethan said he would have fought him every second of the way he had been right. Every second spent trying to prepare him would have been a second for Isaac's mind to rebel and fight against it, even when his body clearly wanted it.

With Isaac's past he had never wanted to feel a lack of control again. It became an obsession of his to always have a firm grip on his emotions and life. Despite that, though, a secret part of him had always wished to let go. To give up control and be free to feel vulnerable with the knowledge that he was safe. He had kept the urge buried deep, most of the time denying it himself, but suddenly he couldn't anymore. He trusted Ethan, despite their rocky beginning. He was Pack, more importantly he was family, and Isaac knew that he would never _really_ hurt him. That he would protect him and fight for him even, because that's what family did. The knowledge thrilled him, sending a surge of warmth through his already hot body.

Ethan seemed to sense the change in him, because his grip loosened just slightly on his nape and he placed a kiss between his shoulder blades. Isaac sighed at the sensation, slumping his shoulders and allowing his body to grow pliant under Ethan.

"Good boy." Ethan whispered against him before slowly pulling out of Isaac until just the head of his cock was still in. Isaac pressed his hips back in a silent plea, and Ethan answered him with one long piercing slide forward that had Isaac's eyes nearly rolling back in his head.

Ethan started a pace that was just shy of hard, each forward push of his hips slapping his balls against Isaac's ass and making a moan bubble up from his throat. In that moment all logical reasoning flew out the window, and all Isaac could think about was Ethan's presence around him, _in him_. His body screamed for more and Ethan made sure to deliver, his grip on Isaac's hip turning nearly painful but Isaac loved it, loved the fact that Ethan could be so domineering yet Isaac could feel so safe in his arms. Each stroke against his prostrate left him struggling for breath and trembling within his very core. He teetered even closer to the edge than before, staring down into a sea of pleasure, yet he still couldn't take that last step to go pummeling over. Isaac whined loud and long, arching his back and moving restlessly against Ethan, nearly crazy with being so close to feeling ultimate pleasure for so long without quite reaching there. The need to touch himself was almost unbearable, but Ethan still had a grip on his wrist and he didn't think he could twist his other hand around without seriously shoving his face into the floor.

Ethan's stroke's slowed suddenly, growing long and deep and Isaac whimpered as the other wolf bent low over him. He nosed the back of Isaac's ear, scenting him deeply before he was whispering in encouragement. "It's okay. Come for me, Isaac. Let me feel you clenching down on me." And then he moved his hand and stroked Isaac's sensitive cock and Isaac felt as he was pushed over the edge, spiraling down into a free fall. White hot pleasure surged through him so intensely that he cried out hoarsely, feeling hot jets of cum shoot out to hit against his own chest and then down onto the floor below him. He felt himself clenching around Ethan and the sensation seemed to send both even further out of their minds. Ethan's hips jerked back and forth in quick, short movements before his hips surged forward to bury deep, and then Isaac could feel hotness filling him and that should not have been such a turn on, but it was. He moaned as he slowly rode his orgasm through, his entire body feeling numb and lifeless by the time Ethan was finally still above him.

He wanted nothing more than to fall against the floor and close his eyes to rest, but didn't exactly want to face plant in his own cum. A moment later Ethan was moving them, though, and Isaac found himself laying on his side with his back flush against Ethan's front. They lay in silence a moment, sucking in deep gulps of air to calm their hungry lungs. Between his legs Isaac felt used and surprisingly achy, and Ethan's cum had begun to slowly leak from him, leaving a hot trail down his thigh. It all seemed too much and not enough, and Isaac couldn't help but hope to feel it all again.

Ethan had begun to slowly rub his thumb in lazy circles along his ribs, and the touch made a certain sense of calm settle over Isaac. Still…he couldn't help but feel a certain part of Ethan was most likely grinning triumphantly.

"Just so you know," Isaac said between deep breaths. "Next time, I'm topping." Because, yeah, he may not exactly hate Ethan as much as he'd like to pretend, but there was no way he was letting the son of a bitch get too egotistical.

Behind him Ethan laughed, his chest rising and falling deeply and making Isaac shake with the movements. "We'll see." Was all he said.

Part 26

Lydia met her mom at the front door to the building and took her up the elevator to its highest stop. As they stepped off the elevator Lydia led her mom forward on the balcony a little so that she could point out the bedrooms on the floor below.

"Off to the right, second door from this end." The red-head pointed out to her mom. "That will be my room once the accent wall paint is dry."

Natalie took a moment to take in all the doors on that floor. "You've really been living here. Haven't you?" Her mom sounded more surprised than upset.

"Yes, I have." Lydia turned to walk up the couple of stairs to the top floor; her mom followed a step behind. The two Martin women walked in to the loft and made their way to the dining room table.

"Mom," Lydia pulled her attention back from looking all around the room. "You know most of the family, especially after today. The rest are Bonnie, Lorilee, Derek, and Jordan. And Dad will be here any minute." Seeing her mom flinch she reminded her. "Not him, Mom. John Stilinski."

"Oh," her mom blushed a little. "Right. You told me that earlier. It'll just take some getting used to, that's all." Lydia wrapped her arm around her mom's shoulder.

"That's okay. We've got all the time in the world."

Tyler walked over to his new-found aunt and gave her a quick hug. "Hi, Aunt Natalie."

John came down the stairs having changed out of his uniform. He walked over to Natalie, leaned over and gave her a chaste kiss of the cheek.

"Natalie," he said with a soft smile. "I'm glad you made it." He held out the chair next to his for her.

Once everyone was settled the food started to be passed around. "I hear it was quite the exciting day at the high school," Derek said as he looked around.

"Sorry that we got detention," Liam said as he dropped his head.

"I'm not," John and Derek said at the same time. They looked up at each other and laughed. Derek motioned for Dad to continue.

"Your sister called out for help and you three," indicating the sophomores. "Didn't even pause to think about the consequences to yourselves. THAT is what family is all about."

"Exactly," Derek agreed. "I'd be pissed if you hadn't run out of class."

"The only reason we," Jeremy broke in "didn't get in to trouble was because Coach knows about us."

"Bobby knows?" Natalie interrupted. All eyes turned to her. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me."

"It's hard to be rude at this table," Kiddo stage whispered to her. "Everyone here is pretty blunt." She smiled at the older woman who returned it with a soft smile of her own.

"Well then," Natalie continued. "If the younger three got in trouble trying to help me then the least I can do is have them come serve lunchtime detention in my classroom. Where I'll be providing lunch." She smiled as the three boys faces lit up. "That goes for you seniors, too." A small cheer went up around the table.

But before anyone could say anything else they were interrupted by someone walking in to the dining room. "Hey everyone," Mark said.

Liam jumped up to give his step-dad a hug.

"Hey Pops," Ethan waved from the other end of the table.

"Pops?" Several people asked at once.

"Well, yeah," Ethan tried to explain. "'Dad' was already taken and since he's also one of our father figures . . ."

"I'm good with Pops, Ethan," Mark let him know, smiling. Mark then looked around the table. "I just stopped by to find out how lacrosse went."

All six of the players started talking at once. He held up his hand to stop the cacophony. Then he pointed to Isaac who just grinned.

"It's been great," the tall blond told the doctor. "I got named a co-captain, along with Short Stack down there," he pointed to the other end of the same side of the table.

"Liam?" Mark questioned wanting to know if it was true. "Did you really make co-captain?" Liam nodded enthusiastically. Mark walked over and wrapped his step-son in a big hug. "I'm so proud of you." Mark released him from the hug and as he turned he noticed a new face at the table.

"Oh goodness," Mark blushed. "I didn't realize you all had company."

"Mark Geyer," Lydia spoke up. "This is my mother Natalie Martin." She motioned between the two of them. "Natalie Martin, this is Dr. Mark Geyer; Liam's step-dad."

"And our personal lacrosse coach," Stiles beamed.

"And our Pops," Ethan reiterated.

"I think they're quite protective of you," Natalie said to the doctor. "But the one thing I've learned about this family today is that they're very protective of each other." She smiled around the table at the occupants. "And that's a very good thing."

"We found out today that she's also my aunt," Tyler told the doctor. "She and my mom were twin sisters."

"I bet that was a shock," Mark said empathetically.

"It was," he agreed. "But a very welcome shock. I have blood relatives now, where this morning I was the only person left on either side of my family." He smiled at his cousin and then at his aunt.

"I'm happy for you Ty," the doctor told him. "I just stopped in to check on everyone, but I have to get home." Mark messed up Liam's hair a little before he headed toward the door.

"Night Pops," Ethan called after him. They could hear him chuckle all the way down the elevator.

Stiles turned and glared at Isaac as he shifted in his seat. Again. "Dude!" Stiles practically yelled across the table. "I'm the one that's not supposed to be able to sit still. What the hell is your problem?" Isaac's face flushed redder than Lydia's hair. Ethan looked like he'd just won the lottery. And those with super smell and hearing were trying their damndest to not bust out laughing.

For a moment no one said anything. "They just had sex," Lorilee stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh god," Isaac mumbled as he hid his face in his hands.

Stiles dropped his head on the table with a crash. Derek leaned over to rub his neck. "You're going to give yourself a concussion one of these times if you keep doing that."

"I can never un-hear that," Stiles groaned. He lifted his head back up and leaned into Derek's hand.

Natalie was flabbergasted. She'd never been around such a discussion, let alone one so . . . openly talked about. She glanced over to John to see if he was going to say anything to them about it. He was blushing and was pinching the bridge of his nose, but he didn't seem inclined to interupt. She breathed a sigh of relief when her daughter finally spoke up.

"Sweetie," Lydia spoke to Lorilee as if she was trying to explain to a toddler why touching a hot stove is a bad idea. "I know it may seem strange, especially in this house, but good manners and social graces dictate that we don't announce things like that." The younger girl looked at her strangely. "The correct way for this to be handled was for someone to have leaned over and whispered into Stiles ear to, 'Shut the hell up.'" She turned her head and glared at the human for a moment. When he ducked his head in embarrassment she turned back to look at her little sister.

"Even though in this house there's not really any such thing as privacy," Lydia continued. "Sex is a very private thing between two people. When it comes to sex we're all going to have to try to be aware of the other people around us and their feelings. Now, if you have questions about sex in general than please ask any of us. But unless you're the one involved in the sex it's not nice to blurt it out like that. Okay?" The young girl nodded. "And you're not allowed to have sex for at least another five years. And that's me being nice. I wanted to say ten or twenty years." She winked at Lorilee so that the little sister would know that she wasn't in any real trouble.

Lydia looked over to her mom only to find her watching Lydia. Appraising may be a better word for it. She smiled softly then looked back down at her plate indicating to Lydia that she didn't wish to talk about it. But Natalie was very proud of her daughter and how she handled that whole situation. She, herself, hadn't known what to do. Granted, Lydia knew these people better than she did, but the fact that Lydia just jumped in and took on the big sister role with such grace was amazing. Apparently being here had really helped Lydia grow up some.

"So, Lydia," Natalie began. "You were going to tell me about Banshees."

Part 27

By the time that everyone returned home from school and work on Wednesday, the rooms were set up. They still smelled like paint, so the inner doors were all closed but all of the windows in each room were open to air them out. The humans would be able to sleep in the bedrooms, but those with enhanced smell may or may not. The rugs had been laid out, the beds set up, and all additional furniture was in place. So everyone started moving all of the things that they'd brought to the house over the past week and a half into their room.

Brett led Liam into his room. "Talk," Brett demanded softly. The taller wolf could smell the anxiety coming off of the shorter one in waves.

Liam looked down at his shoes. "I . . . I just . . ." He stumbled over the words. "I didn't really think this through." Brett cocked his head a little to the side indicating that he was listening but not going to interrupt. "I just assumed . . ." Liam couldn't finish the sentence. He was too embarrassed. Understanding alit in Brett's eyes.

"You assumed this would be OUR room," Brett clarified. Liam nodded ever so slightly. "You know, as a general rule assuming is a bad idea. But this time?" Brett was sounding more and more serious. Liam swallowed hard and raised his head to meet the eyes of the tall teen that was slowly stalking toward him. "This time I'm really glad that you did." He smiled sweetly down at the boy.

Relief flooded through Liam's system; Brett wasn't mad at him. "But, we've never . . ."

Brett took the one last step forward that he was standing toe to toe with Liam, without actually touching him. His bright eyes grew serious as he studied his friend. "We've never what?" Brett could feel the heat from Liam's body that the blush created; he could see the tops of Liam's ears turn red. If Brett had been unsure before about what Liam meant, the blush made it perfectly clear. "You mean because we've never even kissed let alone had sex?" Brett asked softly.

Liam nodded; Brett kept silent. There was something in the way that Liam had nodded that indicated that he wanted to say something, but he wasn't quite sure how. Finally, Liam seemed to find the words. Sort of.

"Are . . . are you . . ."

"Am I a virgin?" Brett finished for him. Liam blushed but looked up and met Brett's eyes. Brett didn't know how he managed to keeps his hands and his lips to himself in that instant. Liam looked so fragile and small, but he was meeting it all head on despite his fear. The combination of emotions with which Liam was unconsciously scenting the bedroom was a heady mix for the tall teen. Instead of allowing his body to react the way it wanted to, he kept his hands to his side and offered a soft smile and answered the question. "Yes, I am."

T _s_ he answer seemed to shock Liam out of whatever nervous stupor he'd been in. "Really?" He sounded shocked, relieved, and disbelieving all at the same time. "How is that even possible?"

"A couple of reasons," Brett told him honestly. "Now don't get me wrong. I've kissed several people, of both genders," he added to forestall the question that Liam was just opening his mouth to ask. "I've gotten and given a few hand jobs, but that's it. I . . ." Now it was Brett's turn to feel embarrassed. "I guess I convinced myself that I might lose control and hurt someone if it was ever more than that. But . . ." Brett got lost in the steel-blue eyes of the boy looking up at him. The emotions were just so visible in their depths.

"But what?" Liam verbally prodded softly. Liam's voice managed to break Brett free from whatever trance Liam's eyes had him in.

"Over the past two weeks, probably longer if I'm honest with myself, I've come to realize that it really didn't have anything to do with my control. It was more that none of them were you." There. He'd said it. Now it was up to Liam.

Liam just looked up at the taller teen and studied him for a moment. "I've only ever kissed one person and that was Hayden."

Whatever Brett had been expecting Liam to say, that wasn't it. He continued to hold still to allow the shorter beta to work through whatever was running through his head. And things definitely were running. Brett could practically see the thoughts and emotions spiraling in Liam's eyes.

"What's it like?" Liam was finally able to voice his question.

"To kiss a guy?" Brett wanted to make sure that he understood the question. At Liam's soft nod Brett's ego wanted to just show Liam what it was like. But he knew that was the exact wrong thing to do. "It's different." He began to explain. "Where girls are soft and curvy, guys are all hard planes and sharp lines." He wasn't sure if he was doing a good job of describing it or not. "They're both good, just different. It really is like comparing apples and oranges. You just can't."

Liam's eyes drifted from Brett's eyes to his lips while he spoke. He was mesmerized by the way they moved. They looked like they'd be soft, Liam allowed the thought to pass through his mind. He tore his eyes away from Brett's tempting lips to meet his eyes again. That may not have been the best idea he's ever had. Brett was still watching him carefully. Only now, the pupils of his eyes were dilated so large that there was almost none of the blue that Liam craved so much.

A scent hit Liam with such force that it almost knocked him backwards – lust. Brett wanted him; based on the intensity of the scent Brett really wanted him. Then why hasn't he done anything? Liam heard Brett's voice in the back of his mind from the night at Sinema, _"I swear to you I will never push you faster or farther than you are ready."_ Brett was waiting for Liam to make the first move. The thought warmed Liam's already pounding heart.

Knowing that Brett wanted him gave him courage that he normally wouldn't have. He glanced back down to Brett's lips. The taller teen unconsciously licked them because his whole mouth had gone dry when his desire had flared. Liam slowly raised his hand and tentatively touched Brett's lower lip with his fingertip. It was soft, yet firm. Liam moved his hand so that his fingers were long Brett's jawline and he used the pad of his thumb to trace along the outline of Brett's lips. When Liam felt Brett press deeper into the touch of his hand he looked up. Brett had his eyes closed. Liam wasn't sure if that was a good sign or not. But since Brett hadn't tried to stop him he'd take it as a good one.

When Liam paused in his tracing and dropped his hand back to his side, Brett opened his eyes and looked down at him. The uncertainty that he saw was nearly heartbreaking. "What is it?" He asked quietly. Liam blushed in response. Now Brett really wanted to know.

"Will . . . will you kiss me?" Brett's heart stopped before it started pounding like a jackhammer in his chest. He had no doubt that Liam could hear it. He, himself, had been using Liam's heartbeat to gauge the conversation. And as much as Brett just wanted to crash his lips into Liam's he knew, not sure how but he just knew, that was the wrong way to go about it. Instead, Brett mustered every drop of self-control he had.

Brett lifted his hand and mimicked Liam's earlier ministrations. He traced Liam's lips with his thumb while the rest of the hand held on to his jaw. Brett watched with fascination as Liam's eyes drifted closed; dark curls of lashes ghosting over ivory skin. That was the last metaphorical straw; he couldn't not taste Liam now.

Although the height difference made it awkward he didn't care. Brett leaned down softly replaced his thumb with his lips. He tried to be slow and patient as Liam's silky lips melted under his own. But then Liam reached out and placed his hand on Brett's hip. A small moan escaped Brett's lips. He didn't know how something could be too much and not enough all at the same time, but that's exactly what he was feeling.

Brett brought his free hand up to the other side of Liam's face. He pressed a little harder into the kiss, which had Liam use his free hand to hold on to the lower edge of Brett's ribcage. Brett ghosted his tongue across Liam's lower lip, practically begging for access. Liam's only response was to part his full lips for the taller wolf. The instant that their tongues touched, they both moaned. There was no help for it. The sound and the chemo signals sent both boys over the edge.

Brett reached down and picked Liam up around the waist to bring their mouths into better alignment. He took a few steps forward so that he had Liam pinned up against a wall. Liam instinctively wrapped his legs around the taller teen's waist allowing both of them some freedom with their hands. However, in doing so, their strained erections pressed up against each other. The kiss broke when both teens dropped their heads back, eyes closed in desire, and let out moans that echoed between the two of them.

That was just enough to jolt Brett out of the lust-induced trance in which he's gotten lost. He lifted his head back up and caught both sides of Liam's face in his hands then leaned his forehead against the shorter teen's, his eyes closed as he tried to reign his desire back in.

"I have to stop," Brett breathed out. The confusion and disappointment coming from Liam was evident, even if Brett hadn't been a werewolf.

"Was it not . . ." Liam bit his lower lip so hard that he almost drew blood.

"Oh my god, Liam." Brett snapped his head back to be able to look his partner in the face. Brett pressed his hips forward allowing his obvious arousal to press up against Liam's matching arousal and lower abs. "Do you feel that? That is me about to lose all rational thought if I don't stop this right now." Liam released his lip from between his teeth and quickly glanced up at Brett's eyes before looking away. "Liam," Brett took a hold of Liam's chin and turned his head so that Brett could look in his eyes when he spoke. "If I don't stop right now then I'm not sure I'll be able to. And I refuse to allow our first time together to be up against a wall like two hormonal teenagers with no self-control."

That got a small tug at the corner or Liam's mouth. "We are hormonal teenagers," he pointed out.

"True," Brett acknowledged as he ran his fingers through the soft dark hair of the teen in his arms. "But unlike most, we have self-control. Especially as it gets closer to the dark moon on Friday." Liam gifted Brett with a small smile. "Besides," Brett continued. "You asked me to kiss you, not fuck you up against the wall." He winked at the younger wolf.

Liam finally smiled, really smiled, at Brett. He unwrapped his legs and Brett stepped away from the wall allowing Liam to return to his feet. "So the kiss was really okay?"

Brett grinned. He wasn't sure whether to smack him upside the back of the head or kiss him breathless again. "If it had been any better I wouldn't have been able to stop at all." He smirked down at the boy. "As it was it was only from the self-control I've learned as a wolf that allowed me to pull away." Brett lifted Liam's chin and placed a tender kiss on the boy's swollen lips. "You are amazing." Brett chuckled to himself. "I'd always thought that people who said someone's kiss is a drug that they're addicted to were just being super cheesy. But now? Now, I'm officially one of those people." Brett leaned down and kissed Liam softly again.

Liam grinned that goofy smile of his. "You? You're addicted to my kiss?"

"Helplessly," Brett grinned back. "And I hope to god that there is no cure." Brett took Liam by the hand and led him over to the bed. The taller teen sat on the edge and pulled the other wolf to stand between his knees. "Now, back to our original conversation." Liam ducked his head but because Brett was sitting lower than Liam was standing, Brett was able to tilt his head to get Liam's attention.

"I really want this to be our room," Brett told him. "No strings attached." Liam met his eyes and studied him for a moment. "I've gotten really used to you falling asleep in my arms and I'd like to keep doing that." Brett shrugged.

Liam's smile turned mischievous. "Sleep? That's your plan?"

Brett laughed and pulled the wolf forward until Liam ended up sitting on Brett's left knee. "Would I like to do more? Hell yes. Will I ever ask you to do anything more? Not a chance." He leaned forward and briefly touched his lips to Liam's. "Except maybe a good-night kiss. I'm pretty sure I'm going to asking for that." He winked at the brunette.

"Good," Liam smirked. "Otherwise, I wasn't going to let you sleep until you did." It was his turn to lean forward and kiss the taller wolf. It started out chaste enough but it quickly grew heated.

"Liam," Brett broke away. Liam grinned half sheepishly, half mischievously at the man on whose knee he was sitting.

"I'd say I was sorry, but you'd know I was lying." Liam gave a full out grin, which Brett couldn't help but return.

"Why don't we get out of the bedroom?" Brett suggested. Liam stood up and entwined his fingers with Brett's as they left the room. Brett had no idea how he was going to be able to control himself. And with the way that Liam was suddenly acting he wasn't going to be making it any easier. Brett ran the fingers of his free hand through his hair and thought to himself, 'I really need to talk to Ethan.'

Part 28

Derek walked into the bedroom and slammed the door behind him. Well, as well as a door lined with a soundproofing strip will slam.

"Stiles?" Derek called into the apparently empty room.

"In the closet," came the reply. Derek walked to the corner of the room that was diagonal from where he stood at the door. He turned at the end of the partial wall and made his way into the bathroom toward the walk-in closet. He watched for a moment as Stiles hung up a shirt.

When Stiles turned to pick up another shirt to put on a hanger Derek strode into the closet. He gently grabbed Stiles' face in both hands and kissed him. The kiss was gentle yet firm. Imploring yet demanding. It was everything that Derek had thought it would be. Stiles wrapped his hands around the sides of Derek's waist. As the kiss deepened Stiles slid his hands up Derek's back pulling the wolf closer. Derek nipped at Stiles' lower lip all but demanding access, which was immediately granted.

When the kiss finally broke, the two leaned their foreheads against the other's.

"Wow," Stiles breathed out.

"Yeah," Derek grinned. "Remind me why I waited so long to do that." Stiles placed a quick kiss on Derek's lips.

"Because you're an amazing man who didn't want to push me," Stiles replied as he placed his head on Derek's shoulder, his face in the crook of the wolf's neck. In response to the movement Derek wrapped his arms around the outside of Stiles' arms and waist.

"Can we get out of the closet now?" Derek asked with a chuckle in his voice.

"Literally or metaphorically?" Stiles joked in return.

"Both?"

Stiles pulled his head back and looked up at the man in his arms. "Consider this one metaphorical closet exited." He leaned up to place a chaste kiss on the man's mouth. "The literal closet on the other hand . . . I still have clothes to put away."

"I'll leave you to it then," Derek said stepping out of the embrace. "Just save some room in here for my stuff." He leaned forward and gave a soft, yet deep, kiss to the younger man.

"No promises," Stiles called to the retreating form.

Part 29

Dinner was an interesting affair. Derek and Stiles kept trying to find ways to touch and stare into each other's eyes. Isaac couldn't sit still again, although it was much better than the night before. Interestingly, Ethan seemed to be having trouble sitting still as well. Lydia and Jordan were in their own little world. Liam had his hand on Brett's thigh the entire time. And Brett was continuously lost in thought, remembering the conversation that he and Ethan had after Liam and Brett left their room.

" _You smell like Liam and lust," Ethan stated as he allowed Brett into his corner room. "Finally get some action?" He joked. He motioned for the younger wolf to sit in one of the chairs in front of the large wall made up almost entirely of windows._

 _Brett collapsed in the chair and rubbed his face in his hands. "I need some advice," Brett stated without preamble, having purposely ignored what the older wolf had said when he'd first walked in._

" _Shoot." Ethan couldn't help but notice the scents of anxiety and nervousness that suddenly started emanating from his companion._

" _I . . . uh . . . That is . . . What I mean is . . . How do . . ."_

" _Oh my god. You're a virgin." Ethan was truly a little shocked. People have tended to think that Ethan less intelligent than he was, but he could add two and two together just fine._

" _Why is that such a surprise?" Brett snapped a little. "I'm only 16 and Liam won't be 16 until next month."_

" _You're right," Ethan apologized. "I tend to forget that you two are that young. I'm sorry. Although, it is a little surprising for a born wolf."_

" _Well," Brett wanted to skip this part of the conversation where he would probably end up embarrassing himself. "Regardless, here I am. We just had our first kiss and I get the feeling that it won't be long until we're ready for sex and I have no idea what to do." He hung his head in his hands. He despised not knowing something or being the best at something._

 _Ethan sat there and appraised him for a moment. "How long have you been in love with him?" There was no humor or teasing behind the question, merely curiosity._

 _The question caught him off guard so he had to really think about it. "Since the beginning," Brett admitted. "I didn't know that's what it was, but it's always been there."_

"Brett!"

The tall wolf startled to awareness when he heard someone yell his name.

"What? Sorry." He blushed.

"I asked if you were finished with your homework," John asked the tall beta wolf.

"Uh . . . yeah. No . . . I don't know," Brett stammered.

"You okay?" Liam asked softly as he squeezed his hand that was on Brett's thigh.

"My mind's just somewhere else tonight, sorry." Brett placed his hand over Liam's to attempt to comfort the younger beta. "I'm fine. Really."

Liam stared worriedly at his . . . friend? Boyfriend? Liam may not have known what to call him, but he knew he was worried about Brett. An hour ago they were about to rip each other's clothes off and now Brett couldn't pay attention long enough to answer a simple question. Liam was worried, not only about Brett, but also about them. Was Brett having second thoughts? Did he regret their kiss? Great, now Liam was worried and distracted. 'That's it,' he decided.

"Come with me," he took Brett's hand and pulled him gently out of his chair. No words were spoken as the shorter brunette led the tall blonde from the dining room. The occupants of the room remained silent until they heard the door shut to the boys' room. They all looked around the table at each other.

"Anybody have any idea what that was?" Derek asked the table at large.

"I think I might," Ethan spoke softly, his head ducked.

"Explain," Derek requested, though not unkindly. He didn't want to intrude in people's private matters but he had an obligation to make sure that his family was okay.

"Brett came to talk to me earlier. When I asked him a question he got quiet and distracted; just like now." Ethan played with his fork.

"And what was the question?" John asked patiently. It didn't take a detective to see that Ethan somehow thought Brett's odd behavior was his fault and that everyone would take it out on him.

"Just . . . how long had he been in love with Liam." Ethan barely managed a whisper but it was loud enough to be heard around the table. Isaac instantly began rubbing Ethan's back.

"And what was his answer?" Derek queried gently.

"'Since the beginning,'" The blue-eyed former-alpha responded. As the others nodded in understanding, and that Ethan hadn't said or done anything wrong.

Derek contemplated the information for a moment before asking, "Why did he come talk to you?"

"He . . . uh . . . wanted some advice," Ethan didn't want to announce to the room the exact reason Brett had paid him a visit earlier in the evening. Luckily, Derek seemed to understand both Ethan's desire to not elaborate and the reason for the visit.

"You've figured something out," stated Jordan. "What is it? Is he okay?"

Derek shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I'm not sure I know exactly what it is, but I have an idea. I'll have to do some more research." He turned to Ethan. "I understand your wanting to keep this between you and Brett, but I need to know. Are he and Liam both still . . ." he left the question hanging. With only a slight hesitation Ethan nodded. "Thought so."

Everyone at the table was now staring at Derek. They were waiting for . . . something. More questions, some answers, they weren't quite sure. But he none-to-subtly changed the subject letting them know that the matter was now closed.

"So, how does everyone like their rooms?"


End file.
